DWF Pt3: Jumping Hurdles, Choosing Sides
by More Than I Appear
Summary: I raised the rating for swearing and violence. CHPT 20 UP! The exciting ending to JHCS is now up and ready for your reading. Enjoy everyone and look out for Part 4 later on! ~Pennath
1. Notes before proceeding

                Okay everyone, this is a note about what to expect about upcoming chapters. In the rest of the story from this point, things are going to get a bit darker. Sesshomaru, Kagome and Inu Yasha are all going to seem a bit OOC- Kagome has a very odd scene coming up. When these moments arrive, try playing this game: what personality traits are being demonstrated and who do they belong too? You'll see what I mean later on. 

                As Telosphilos posted on the review page, here are a few warnings:

'a. Sesshomaru is a complex character who has had a rough life and has childhood issues.   
b. Momaru is not a static character with high marks on the loving and virtuous side of things.   
c. Kagome is a little OOC in the first section, but that is because we have more respect for her and made her smarter.   
d. War is violent and unpleasant and this is a war story.   
e. Taomaru is a good guy, but he his also a dynamic character who can make mistakes.   
f. Inu Yasha is also a dynamic character and this story is in part about his divided nature which in places can make the story quite dark.   
g. No one is being killed off dammit!

Please do not flame Pennath, she doesn't deserve it. If something really bothers you about what she is doing with the story, wait for the next chapter or two before commenting. The characters have a tendency to make assumptions, just like we do in the real world, and they can be dead wrong. It is very likely that whatever was bothering you was not what it had originally seemed. Part three is hard hitting (in a different sense from part two) and tends to go very much against many of the common themes found in other fanfics.   
So hold on tight, it's going to be a wild ride.'

::Scratches her head:: Well, I'm not sure how wild a ride it's going to be but I can promise romance, drama, fighting, character development, a lot of answers and much more. Unless it's important, I'll try not to clutter the beginning of each chapter with notes- I'll do it at the bottom instead.

                As before, if you haven't read the first two parts of Divided We Fall (Sick Days and War on the Horizon) you are going to be completely lost. No way around it. I will also add here that sexuality does pop up but there is no sex at all in this part of DWF- maybe in the last installment of this story depending on my reviews (hint- make a note on the review page! If you want a sex scene, tell me!) Oh! The story point of view is going to switch back and forth a bit more; There is Kagome's POV (1st person), there is regular third person, and now there is another third person- these are the flash back portions and are going to become important (If you skip over them, you will lose part of the story).

                That's it for now. I'm staying to my posting schedual from earlier- a new chapter every two or three days. Enjoy the story!

                                                                                -Pennath


	2. Getting to Know you...

                Jumping Hurdles and Choosing Sides

 Chapter 1: Getting to know you…

                Momiji ran through the halls of the castle, desperately helping where ever she could. The servants that had remained loyal were dying around her as they sought to defend their master's daughter. Caramel colored hair and fur flew behind her as she jumped down stairs, vaulting the banisters in an extremely unladylike fashion.

                "Hime-sama!" The old crane youkai called when he spotted her. He was bleeding from several cuts; his feathers matted with both it and sweat. His large broad sword, a usually immaculate talisman he had brought with him centuries before, was red stained. He clicked his beak at her when he caught up. "You should be hiding, waiting for your father to claim you after we win."

                Momiji did not slow as she ran. She slid to a halt outside the armory and strode inside toward the sword wall. "Do you really think we will win?" She demanded as she pulled a sword and several daggers free. "The Dog Clan has been scattered to the four winds, our allies have deserted us and joined with the very army they pledged to fight." Her blue eyes bored holes into the crane youkai until he was forced to turn away.  "I warned my father months ago that a battle brewed with our lands and he chose not to heed me. This is the result of his ignorance and stupidity." Sword in one hand and daggers hidden within her kimono, the princess went to defend her home. 

                "Hime-sama, please leave the fighting to your father and brother. Find your mother and hide with her." The old crane pleaded as he saw her head for the foyer and the heart of the battle.

                "I refuse to hide within my own home and cower behind my mother's skirts. There is no place to hide, no place that is safe from these monsters; once they destroy us they will kill anyone in their path without discrimination. I am a woman, the princess of this realm- I should be out there fighting as well and helping my clan." She stopped outside the doorway and as the faint light bathed her, Momiji did look like the princess she was meant to be.  The crane youkai looked at her, hung his long head, and then nodded as he brought up his broad sword. 

                "Right. Let's end this then." The two rushed in with a roar, hacking every non-dog demon in their way to bits. 

                "How long do we have?" I asked as walked beside Taomaru down the long hallway. Each of us was weighted down by boxes, heading for a room somewhere above. Inu Yasha was also with us carrying his own burden of heavy boxes. 

                "A few days maybe? Depends on when Sesshomaru actually decided to swallow his pride and find you two." The wolf dog panted as he led us around another corner. 

                "Where's everyone else?" Inu Yasha asked. He still refused to leave my side. I was really going to have to talk to him about it. The plus side of his attention was that I could feel him inside my head now, just as I could feel Taomaru and Sesshomaru. There was something that he was keeping from me, something that I couldn't unlock and I had a very good hunch that it was the source of his sudden show of affection. 

                We had passed youkai after youkai when we were finally inside the castle. The three of us had made it back through the well just in time- whatever Taomaru had done to bring the castle near the well had all but faded away. Everything from the twentieth century had arrived intact, from the clothes to the stereo to the motorcycle. We were going to have to make multiple trips up and down the stairs to get everything up here and out of harms way. No one was looking forward to it.

                With a grunt, Taomaru stopped us in front of a dark wooden door, kicking it lightly and opening it. He walked inside like he had every right to be there- considering he had once been a prince of the region, I guess he did. Inu Yasha and I entered right behind him, depositing the boxes against the far wall and out of tripping range. It wasn't until I wiped the sweat from my brow that I realized the room wasn't empty. 

                On the table, the sole piece of free standing furniture, were all sorts of maps. They were pinned down by decorative stones or ink wells. They appeared to mark the boarders of the Western lands- I saw a map of Japan and noticed it was slightly inaccurate. Around the table were a sputtering toad youkai, three dog youkai whom I didn't know and the ever social Sesshomaru. Compared to the five, sweat soaked Taomaru, Inu Yasha and I were woefully underdressed.

Might as well be friendly. "Hi," I said and wiped my hand on my jeans, wincing at the dirt still present. "I'm Higirashi Kagome. Pleased to meet you." My friendliness was met with sneers and expressions of disgust. Inu Yasha moved up beside me on one side, Taomaru on the other.

                "A human? Talking to me?" A black haired youkai asked. He flicked his tail at me, wrinkling his nose. "Sesshomaru-sama, you let your humans run with too much freedom." I took back my ignored hand.

                "I agree." A balding brown haired youkai added. "And her clothing! Where did you get such a suggestive thing?" He pointed at me, his lip curled. In my jeans and T-shirt, my hair tumbling down around my shoulders, I was perfectly normal by my standards; however, in comparison with the yards of cloth women in this time wore, I guess my outfit was a bit revealing. Damn; I hated it when I could see it from their point of view.

                "I see you have finally tamed your mongrel half brother." A completely bald youkai laughed. "How fitting you made him your servant."

                "Tell me, Sesshomaru," The black haired one looked at Sesshomaru in a conspiratory manner. "If you cleaned her up, do you think the little hanyou would bed her?"

                Throughout all the taunting, Sesshomaru had looked at us in a weighing manner. He said nothing, thought nothing, felt nothing. The last probably made me the angriest. Beside me Inu Yasha growled, trying to form a coherent thought that would insult them without getting us killed. It was funny- they had all bashed on Inu Yasha and I yet no one had mentioned Taomaru. 

_Can they see you? I asked him silently as I watched the three youkai laugh at their intelligence. I was __so going to cram it down their throats._

                _At the moment, no they cannot see me. I am blocking myself from their eyes. Sesshomaru and Jaken can both sense me and know I am here however. Okay, so Taomaru had an idea that centered on the three stooges over by the table. Fine, I was on my own then to deal with them. Inu Yasha continued to growl, for lack of anything else to say- his brain had stalled on royal comebacks; it had been a long time since he had had to deal with it. I patted the hanyou's shoulder and crouched, opening a box near my feet. I found what I was looking for, battery and all, and put my hand through the strap. _

                "Lady Kagome, what is that and what are you doing with it?" Sesshomaru addressed me formally. Since I guessed we were putting on a show, I bowed my head shallowly at him, feeling his irritation and stress from dealing with these lords. Sesshomaru was not happy having to endure being poked fun at and having his authority undermined but he needed the army these three idiots could supply him with. I hit the power button, flipped out the side screen and pushed record. I filmed everyone in the room as they stared at me.

                "Lord Sesshomaru, this is a video recorder and currently I am filming you as well as Larry, Curly, and Moe over there." The lords did not like that; they snarled at me. "Smile Jaken, you're on camera!" I grinned as I taunted the toad youkai. 

                "Why are you recording them?" Inu Yasha asked as he blinked and poked at the lens. "They aren't worth it." Ah yes; Inu Yasha had foregone subtly and was simply going to go with the ever popular brashness option. Now the lords were really mad and the balding one took a step in our direction. 

                "Human, you have over stepped you bounds!" I watched him through the camcorder and frowned. 

                "Me, you pompous twit? If anyone has leapt that fence it's you and the other two stooges!" 

                "Lady Kagome…" Sesshomaru warned, and I felt the mental exhaustion he was suffering from. 

                "Sesshomaru, we have to get the rest of the stuff from Kagome's world." Inu Yasha said, standing straight and looking as royal as he could. "We'll leave these morons to you. Make sure you consult Kagome and me with any battle plans." Inu Yasha looked hard at his brother and then glared at the three lords.

                "He can't be serious!" The slightly balding youkai said. "Consult with a human? Why?"

                "Lord Sesshomaru, surely you are being sarcastic when you call her 'lady?'" the black haired one said. 

                "Kagome is more of a lady than any of your wives or daughters!" Inu Yasha said and stood in front of me. I was glad I was getting it all on tape- this way I had a visual record for later. Inu Yasha growled and both Sesshomaru and I knew that a fight was coming. I put my hand on Inu Yasha's shoulder again and let my power flow down my arm and over him.

                _Calm down. I said to him silently. __Fighting this early with these idiots won't solve anything. Go back down stairs and we'll find another room where we can put everything. _

_                Taomaru, And I glanced at him quickly. It was hard to imagine that the lords couldn't see him when he looked so solid and real. __Find us another room please. He bowed, looking at me with a smile and left. None of the lords noticed him at all. I pushed Inu Yasha slightly and, with a glance at me, he left the room. Now alone with the lords, I sighed. _

                "I am not being sarcastic. Kagome is _Lady Kagome. Inu Yasha is not my servant; in this venue he is my brother and nothing less. Both are to be respected and consulted before any plans are made." Sesshomaru stated calmly, ignoring the blank looks from the lords before him._

                "You're serious." The bald one said flatly in surprise. I was tempted to stick my tongue out at him but didn't. I was quite proud of my restraint. Well, Sesshomaru would handle the lords and that was fine by me. I started stacking the boxes on top of each other, stopping just shy of one too many; now that I was on my own, I had to carry it all out again. Damn it. I clicked the camera off and put it back in its box, lifting the boxes up by using my legs, and slowly made my way to the door- didn't want to trip or anything after all.

                "I'll be back for the rest in a minute. Lord Sesshomaru, are there any rooms free? We need to put these somewhere and suddenly this room is not acceptable." I said as I balanced in the doorway looking at him. _Good luck! I added and knew he could hear me. __These guys look as fun as getting your teeth drilled._

_                What? Sesshomaru asked, one eyebrow raised. Out loud he gave me directions to a room down the hallways, all the while giving me different picture directions in my head from what he was saying. _

When he was done I nodded. _I need to talk to you later, without them. I left then, without bowing, and followed Sesshomaru's mental directions and then came back to get the rest. I didn't bother to bow then either. Inu Yasha joined me and we finished hauling the boxes by ourselves- Taomaru said he had something to do and had hurried off down a hallway. While in the room, I ripped open several walkie talkie packages, loading in the appropriate batteries and taking them with us. There was so much to do and most of it needed to be passed by other people. To do this the fastest, it was time to show off the radios. I packed a plastic bag with all the ones that were ready to go and brought it with us._

We ran into Rin in the hallway. The little girl was looking for Sesshomaru and wanted to give him a small arrow she had made. I explained that Sesshomaru was busy with a few of the lords and Rin looked disappointed. 

"Since they came, Sesshomaru-sama hasn't had any time for Rin. Rin doesn't know why- they're mean!" 

What could I say; they were mean. "I know. If you like, you can come with Inu Yasha and I." I offered and she accepted. "The youkai downstairs keep trying to eat Rin." She said and I frowned.

"Kagome, you better stick close." Inu Yasha said. "Any human wandering around may be seen as food, especially if they're being led by any of those three." He jerked his thumb in the room we had met the lords in. Rin and I nodded and the three of us went to find Sango and Miroku. 

An hour later, we had found the hoshi and exterminator, both in separate areas. We found Sango on the top level, giving orders to the humans that were going to fight with the youkai. They were a sorry bunch, most not much older than Sango or myself. I was willing to bet that the men, the real fighters of the village, had stayed behind to defend the farmland while the boys who wanted to make a name for themselves had come to fight with us. I walked over to Sango while Inu Yasha looked over the cadets. I tapped her shoulder and she turned toward me. She looked at her wits end with the group but when she saw me she smiled. He hugged me tightly and I hugged her back. From the concern on her face, I must have really had them all scared- too bad I couldn't remember what happened. Oh well. 

"Ready for a break?" I asked and she nodded. "I need a few volunteers for an experiment. Wanna help?" I took out two walkie talkies and raised my eyebrows. Sango took one curiously and Rin came over to see too. I picked two other humans to come join us and called Inu Yasha over. While they watched I explained how to use the walkie talkies they now held. I made sure they were all on the same channel and what the experiment consisted of.

"These are for talking over long ranges. I don't know if they will work inside the castle before we can go any further. Your job is to simply walk about the castle and radio the others. We'll try this at different levels in the castle as well as outside. If this works, we'll do better when we fight!" I said and explained how to use it again because no one had understood it the first time. To demonstrate, I asked Sango to go down the hall way and say something into the walkie talkie. She came through loud and clear over the radio. We grinned at each other and I gave her a spare for Miroku when she saw him. 

"Great. Now that we know it will work inside we need to see what the range is. I'm going to go talk with Sesshomaru and find out some more on what we're up against." I saw Rin smiling at me. "No Rin. You stay with Sango or Inu Yasha. Those meanie lords are still there and they are not friendly." I asked Inu Yasha to go downstairs and check out the other youkai and to also keep an eye out for the monk. I grabbed a paper and mechanical pencil from the room we were using to store my stuff and went to talk to Sesshomaru.


	3. Kagome gets bitchy

::Finishes hammering a big sign:: Phew! Sorry- I forgot to do this last time. ::Points to the sign which reads in big letters, INU YASHA AND CO. DO NOT BELONG TO ME!::: Now that we are all clear on that and now that no one will sue me, here we go!

Chapter 2: Kagome gets bitchy

I knocked and entered without waiting for an invitation. All three lords were unhappy with my presence. I shrugged and leaned against the table by Sesshomaru. He wasn't happy I was there either. I arched a brow at him. "Hey, these guys may have some info on the Dark Army; I came to compare notes." 

"Human, get out. You meddle in affairs that do not concern you." Baldie said. He glared at me and his power scalded my skin. I frowned at him and felt my power flare in response. 

"Look Curly, I don't know what your problem is and personally I don't care." I said.

"Bitch! My name is Lord-"

"If I am 'Human' than you are Curly." I said. "You have been told to treat me with respect and have done nothing but insult me." I stood straight, my power flaring bright and strong, drowning out any of theirs. "I respect those who have earned it and so far you have done nothing to demonstrate to me you are deserving of it. Now, shut the hell up and tell me all you know about the Dark Army!"

"Lord Sesshomaru, control her!" The semi-balding brown haired one ordered. Larry. 

"I told you that Lady Kagome was to be treated with respect and you have tossed aside my decree." Sesshomaru said quietly and I knew he was really angry. "You have disrespected me and all within my home." Sesshomaru stood up from studying the map by his hand. His anger radiated through the room and I was glad my power insulated me from the biting energy. Immediately, the three lords dropped to their knees, bowing low to the floor. 

_I don't know if the youkai downstairs are being commanded by them, I looked at Sesshomaru as he watched the lords. __But they keep trying to eat the humans that are down there. As a result, we're all practicing up here. I ran into Rin and she told me. I knew he'd listen to me if I mentioned his little admirer. _

"I am through listening to your prattle." Sesshomaru said to the lords. "Honor the alliance and fight with us or you will not leave here alive." It was not an idle threat; Sesshomaru meant what he said. 

"We honor you, Lord Sesshomaru, son of Lord Momaru the Great Warrior." The three said in unison. "We shall hold to the contract and fight to defend the Western Lands."  Sesshomaru nodded and told them to rise.

"Do not forget what you have pledged." Sesshomaru intoned. "Or you will be my next target after the Dark Army."

"Well," I said when everyone was on their feet. "Now that we're all friends again, start telling me all you know about the bastards." I listened to each of them, giving them my full attention and jotted down important facts and figures. I heard from Sesshomaru also, treating him as I had the lords. When I was done I looked at the maps, reviewing my notes and rearranging some of the markers- much to everyone's annoyance. I frowned and heard the walkie talkie at my hip beep.

I answered it like I would the phone, hitting the button to talk while I continued to look over the maps. "Kagome here, what's up?" I let go of the button to listen to the message. I noticed that the lords were looking at me as if I had lost my mind. I ignored them keeping my attention on the maps and on the conversation in my ear. From the looks of it, we had a week at best; looking over the data, the soldiers for the Dark Army didn't move very fast but they were extremely thorough. 

"Kagome! The youkai downstairs are still trying to eat the humans." Sango's voice was a little squawky but that was to be expected. At least the walkie talkies had a long distance range- the next step was to check the range out. Without looking at him, I knew that Sesshomaru was looking at the lords in a very deadly manner. 

"Is Rin with you?" I knew Sesshomaru wanted to know by the stir of alarm that trickled through our link. I looked at the lords and they shrank back from Sesshomaru and I. I didn't know what I looked like but I didn't care- if they had hurt those humans they _really weren't going to like my expression. I spared them another glare and headed for the exit. _

"Yes. Miroku and Shippo are here too but we aren't going to be able to fend off all of them- even if Sesshomaru's army joined in the fray."

"Alright. Send Shippo and two humans to me. I got an idea." I returned to the room we had stored everything from my world in. 

Youkai were strange; every one of them was an individual but in some respects you could lump them together. One thing that usually got their attention, but not necessarily their respect, was a very blunt show of force. By myself, I was not very intimidating- like batting zero on the danger scale. The youkai would not follow me, would not obey or listen to me unless they thought I was scarier than they were. This was how Sesshomaru kept competition at bay- he created a reputation of being heartless and that cowed a lot of his would be challengers. It was how Inu Yasha handled things more often than not. Ah, violence- crude but very effective. 

My plan was simple; I was going to put the fear of me into them. I had stuff that was hundreds of years ahead of them; surely I could be scary as hell with all those gadgets at my disposal.  Modern science was going to take on a whole new meaning to these idiots. I scooped up Shippo when I saw him, leading the two panic stricken humans to the room. I gave them instructions, simple and straightforward. The only really complicated orders were for Shippo. 

I tossed the cover off a cardboard box and pulled out the ugliest pink bear I had ever seen. I showed it to Shippo and he looked at me questioningly. "Can you hold this shape or as close as possible to it?" I asked him and he took the bear from me, studying it thoroughly. At last he nodded and I told him to practice a few times before we went downstairs. The two humans- I didn't know their names and there was no time to ask- brought me the pitchers of water I asked them to. I took out the bottle of perfume I had put in my pocket, the very same one Inu Yasha had acted so weird about. I was hoping that the effect would be a depressant- like opium or liquor. I didn't need a hundred plus youkai hyped up as if they were on speed. 

I added a capful of rubbing alcohol to the two pitchers, as well as a drop of gasoline. One of the tanks had been brought in to keep it away from curious people. I really needed to bring the two other tanks up as well- unattended gasoline; we wouldn't need the Dark Army to swoop down on us because one spark from a stray lamp and we'd all be blown sky high. Mostly, the watered down moltolave cocktail was for scare- almost every youkai I had ever met had a well developed sense of smell. I added a sprits of the perfume and we were almost done. 

"Shippo, how's it going?" I asked as I filled a small empty bottle with gasoline. I looked at it critically; yah, this would be enough to toast the poor bear. 

"Kagome, I'm ready!" Shippo said and changed into the ugly pink bear. I grimaced at the color; God, neon pink was such a horrible color. 

"Okay, go downstairs and be seen. That's all you have to do- stay out of the way but be sure people see you." He looked at me skeptically but ran off to do as I said. I grabbed the flare gun from the emergency kit and a box of matches. I took the bottle of gasoline with me, slipping it in my pocket with the other small bottle of regular perfume. The ugly pink bear –now stuffed with a small screamer firework and an old watch I had reprogrammed- came too; it was time to see how well I could act. "You two, follow me!" And the two pitcher bearing humans followed me down the hallway. 

Kagome's arrival was announced by a lot of yelling from around the corner of the entrance way and into the foyer. The hanyou had been watching a suspicious youkai- one of the strangest he had ever seen- run around the floor. The ugly pink thing had made a point to get under everyone's feet and be noticed by everyone present. The humans behind Inu Yasha were surprised, asking each other what kind of youkai it was. Sango herself didn't know what it was, her attention centered on the political battle between Sesshomaru and the other lords. Rin clung to Inu Yasha's leg, filling the small gap caused by Shippo's absence. 

The ugly pink youkai ran into on of the milling youkai's legs, stepping on the foot and getting smacked for his stupidity. All the youkai present were ready to leap into battle and defend the honor of their respective lord- off the hundreds assembled in and around the castle, Sesshomaru had the smallest force; something that startled Inu Yasha greatly. The whole room audibly crackled with energy, holding both the potential to be peaceful or to start a blood bath that would rival the one the Dark Army would cause. The humans were rapidly becoming an endangered species in the room, going quickly from fellow soldier to entrée. From the look of most of the foreign youkai, they hadn't eaten anytime recently- that explained their behavior but not their masters'. 

Miroku and Sango stepped up on either side of the hanyou looking worried. The walkie talkie thing at Sango's side crackled and Inu Yasha's sharp ears picked up Kagome's voice. She seemed to be yelling at someone, someone who had made her very, very angry. "Incompetent dolt! Worthless idiot!" and her yelling was followed by incoherent whimpering and pleading and then by a heavy crunch. Her voice carried through the room as every walkie talkie held by the humans caught her voice and amplified it until everyone in the vicinity could hear her. The lords paused in their angry debate and heard it too. At that very moment, liquid rained down on the assembled youkai, causing shouts of alarm. A pungent smell circulated through the room and many of the more aroma oriented youkai dropped to their knees coughing. 

Inu Yasha's eyes widened in horror as he recognized the scent and quickly covered his nose. _Kagome's perfume! He thought desperately. Near by he could see Sesshomaru cover his nose and begin to cough, the other lords following suit. A warm angry wave of energy rolled through the room before Kagome walked inside, announcing her presence. Every movement she made said that she was angry and promised punishment to those who had caused her foul mood. _

Kagome strode inside the room carrying an ugly pink bundle, one hand dangling the fuzzy body while the other hand rested on her hip. For the first time the hanyou realized that the annoying ugly pink youkai was missing. Inu Yasha watched her, watched the liquid grace her movements had become and knew that this was a very different Kagome from the one he knew- a darker, more cold hearted Kagome that must have been hidden for decades. Her expression was cold, calculating, as she surveyed the youkai around her. Her eyes narrowed and her power flared when her gaze settled on the coughing lords. For the first time in his life, Inu Yasha was scared of the girl. He felt Sango and the monk take a startled step back as they watched their friend. The hanyou had explained to everyone about Taomaru blocking Kagome's memory of the night before, warned them not to bring it up until after the battle. No one was happy with the arrangement and now they were wondering if there were side effects. 

"My name is Lady Kagome." She began, making her voice carry. "I am the mistress of this castle and answer only to Lord Sesshomaru and Price Inu Yasha." Both brothers started although Sesshomaru hid it better. The assembled youkai frowned at her, unhappy that a human was giving them orders. Kagome tilted her head arrogantly, sneering at them in defiance. She curled her lip, an evil smile forming and Inu Yasha felt a chill of foreboding crawl down his spine. 

"I had hoped that we would be untied enough to fight side by side without too much conflict; that the Dark Army laying our home to waste would be enough of an incentive for everyone to cooperate." Kagome's expression became tragic and she spread her hands in a helpless gesture, the pink body hanging limply from one hand. The head rolled bonelessly, the front covered in a dark noxious smelling liquid. Inu Yasha's ears caught a vague ticking noise coming from the body and realized it was the things heart- the pink youkai was still alive. 

"After meeting your lords I realized I was wrong and that is very unfortunate." Kagome carelessly tossed the bleeding body into a clear space in front of them all, making sure that everyone could get a good look. The injured youkai landed with a heavy splat and the ticking was plain in the silent room as every set of eyes looked from the body to the raven haired girl. Kagome pulled a pack of matches from her pocket as well as a small bottle that Inu Yasha knew all too well. Kagome held up the bottle for all to see. 

"The liquid that was dumped on you is the same as this. Once absorbed by the skin, the unfortunate bearer is resigned to a very painful death." Inu Yasha couldn't believe his ears- this wasn't his Kagome, couldn't be his sweet, tender Kagome! "That hideous thing had the audacity to knock me over in the hall. I had thought that his beating would be enough of a punishment but you are all in need of a demonstration. Watch closely everyone- the next person will not be allowed to pass out." Her eyes were fierce, her expression empty, as she struck a match and carelessly flicked it on the pink body. All assembled watched as the fuzzy form began to burn, igniting like dry kindling. The smell was horrible but not as horrible as what happened next. 

The ticking sped up and the body began to twitch, flopping on the floor as if possessed. The flaming pink thing convulsed and a shrieking began. The sound grew in volume and the helpless bucking of the body became more insistent. Many youkai and humans covered their ears, watching in open mouthed horror at the thing on the floor. Kagome watched it all dispassionately, as if this was something she did all the time. The desperate moves of the burning youkai became worse and the screaming became louder, reaching a crescendo as it crept closer to the line of youkai. The others retreated immediately, numbly watching as the little body doubled in on itself, clutching its middle and then flinging its limbs wide as it exploded in a shower of multicolored sparks and burning pieces of fur. The colors would have been very pretty had the context not been so macabre. The colors faded and there was nothing left of the gory body except some scraps of skin and ash.

Silence, think and heavy, permeated the room in the after math. All eyes were on Kagome, disbelieving that she could be so cruel. Through out it all, Kagome had remained impassive, uncaring. The unspoken message was not missed by anyone: Kagome could do this to you and not care at all. Now her expression had hardened into a cold mask, her icy tone matching it perfectly. "The liquid that was dumped on you has the same effect." She drew something from her waist band, the flare gun she had stashed there before entering. She held it in her hand, her finger near the trigger as she pointed it at the ceiling. "This has the power of a thousand matches. One spark and all of you will end up like that pathetic creature on the floor." No one moved, watching her warily. Sango, Miroku, and Inu Yasha simply stared at their friend.

"While you are here you will obey our rules. That goes for all of you." Kagome looked at the lords until they all nodded. Sesshomaru looked arrogantly at them and then walked purposely over to Kagome's side. Without taking her eyes off the other youkai, Kagome wrapped her arm around his waist. After a quick glance down at her, Sesshomaru's tail curled around Kagome's leg. The Lords, humans and frightened youkai bowed, kneeling on the floor and pressing themselves as far as they could go. Settling against him, Kagome continued as if nothing had happened. "The humans are not to be eaten under any circumstances. They are here to fight beside you, not feed you! The humans will not attack you or harm you in any way until this is over. You will obey the leaders we put in charge of you. They may be human or youkai but you will obey them or suffer my wrath." Everyone looked at the pile of ash and pink fur. "Everyone is to be treated with respect- when the Dark Army invades there is no telling who may save your life. New tactics and ways of fighting may pop up; if you have questions then ask. If something is unfeasible then tell your commander. Everyone's input could become important so please share information."

Kagome paused, out of rules, and Sesshomaru separated from her. The youkai ruler took a few steps away and looked back at her. After a reluctant sigh, Kagome got down on one knee but not bowing, looking bored. Sesshomaru looked out at the kneeling crowed, amber eyes flashing. "You will obey these rules and any others we decide upon while you are in my home. Until the battle is over, your lords are not where your loyalties lie. I am the ruler of the Western Lands and that is never to be forgotten. My brother Inu Yasha, the miko Lady Kagome and I have joined forces to defeat the threat to our home. Any who have heard of the feud between us know that that is a substantial accomplishment and not to be taken lightly." Sesshomaru heard Kagome rise behind him and Inu Yasha join her. 

"That's no joke." Inu Yasha said, looking at his brother, arms crossed defiantly. Before Sesshomaru could continue, Inu Yasha continued his commentary. "It is no secret that I've been the object of ridicule with my brother and the more pure blooded youkai in the kingdom. I am a hanyou, that is what I am and I accept it. Sesshomaru is a full blooded youkai and the two of us have fought on numerous occasions. We have never gotten along and never thought we would be in the same mind about anything." Inu Yasha laughed quietly and looked out at those in the chamber. He was trying to look princely and he did in that moment, falling back into the behavior taught him in his younger years. "The Dog clan has fought the Dark Army before, defending our lands even at the cost of our lives. We have turned them back repeatedly, even when our so called allies sided with them and attacked us. No matter what feud lay between the members, the Dog Clan has always come together to defend their territory and this time is no different. If Sesshomaru and I can get along without killing each other than you lot can co-exist for the duration of the campaign. No excuses." It was a round about speech but it had the desired effect. The youkai and humans looked at each other for the first time without menace but still were a little doubtful. 

"Great!" Kagome said, clapping her hands and discarding her cruel manner. "Let's go get something to eat; most of you look like you haven't eaten in days!" She shrugged at the incredulous looks and motioned that all who were hungry were to follow her. Just then Shippo and Rin raced around the corner and skidded to a halt at the girl's feet.  Inu Yasha hadn't even noticed Rin slip away during the horrible scene.

"Kagome! The cooks are baking as fast as they can." Shippo said happily as Kagome bent and picked up the two children. She smiled at them and a few feet away her trio of friends had a hard time processing the two sides of Kagome. She was nice now, back to her usual self, but a second ago she had been the iciest person in the room aside from Sesshomaru. Would the real Kagome please stand up?

Rin chimed in. "That was a really fun game, Kagome-onee-chan! What can we play next?" Kagome smiled and muttered to herself, "How about playing find Kagome's backpack?" In a louder voice she said, "Food is on the way. Sit down where you are- there's not enough table space!" The youkai in the room hastily sat on the floor, making themselves as small as possible so as not to offend the woman and incur her wrath. The humans also took up a seat on the floor, exchanging wary looks with the youkai who sat close by as Kagome walked past them and over to Inu Yasha, Sango and Miroku.

"Do know where my traveling bag is?" Kagome asked them, briefly grimacing and rubbing her temple with a free hand. Sango took the children, Kagome flashing a quick smile as she rubbed her temples.

"Are you alright?" Inu Yasha asked, forcibly pushing away his unease at Kagome's previous attitude and feeling a stir of alarm. He watched anxiously as she rolled her head, rubbing the muscles of her shoulders and neck.

"Yah," Kagome said unhappily. "But I think I have a tension headache. How odd." She rolled her neck one last time and then dropped her hands as she stood normally. She looked around; their group was the only one left standing- apparently Sesshomaru and the other lords had departed- and they were making quite a show.  Inu Yasha took her hand and led the troop out of the room, through the huge doorway and around the corner toward the stairway. The hanyou was still battling with himself: on one hand he wanted to be sure Kagome was entirely all right; on the other hand he wanted to turn on her and demand to know how she could so casually burn a youkai to death and not bat an eye. 

_It was a trick Inu Yasha. And he could feel Kagome pull away from him, both physically and mentally. She frowned at him, looking and feeling sad that he could think she was so horrible. __How could you ever think I could do such a thing? It was a trick that Shippo helped me pull off. Aloud she asked the monk, "Miroku, do you know where my bag is?" _

Sango answered for him. "Sesshomaru had it placed in a storage area but I'm not sure if it's downstairs or upstairs. From what I've heard all morning, the castle chambers do not stop at ground level."

"That makes sense." Kagome mumbled. "Is my bike with my bag?" 

"Bike?" Miroku asked.

"It's a bigger version than the one I usually bring; bigger, heavier, and more powerful. I want it to stay out of sight unless we need it. I have to find it and check it to make sure it won't blow up."

"Blow up?" Inu Yasha stared at her. "You are not getting on anything that will blow up!" 

Kagome sighed, suddenly tired, and felt a stab of pain through her temples. She winced and closed her eyes, putting a hand against the area as if touching it would make the pain go away. She felt a rough hand cover her own and opened her eyes to meet Inu Yasha's. He squeezed her hand and his touch chased back the growing headache. Kagome gave him a lopsided smile and he backed off, the girl immediately wincing after his hand left hers. She grabbed his hand, curling her own around his tightly and the headache lessened again- it didn't completely leave but she could think now.

"Lady Kagome, are you alright?" Miroku asked, touching her temple lightly and looking for any sign of injury.

"Is Kagome-onee-chan okay?" Rin asked Sango anxiously. Shippo jumped from the exterminator's arms and onto Kagome's shoulder. The kitsune wrapped his fluffy tail around her neck and ran his hands through her hair in an effort to comfort her. They all gathered around her to see what was wrong. Kagome blushed in embarrassment. 

"I'm ok! I'm fine- just a headache." She smiled brightly but didn't let go of Inu Yasha's hand. In all honesty, Kagome was getting suspicious as to the headache's origin. Kagome had the feeling that the pain was originating from someone else.  She had been fine until now, and Inu Yasha was perfectly alright. She frowned and reached out with her magic down the links she shared with Sesshomaru and Taomaru. The dark haired youkai only replied with sleepy thoughts, disjointed and confusing. He was dreaming, she realized, in a den a mile or so below her feet. Kagome blinked and yawned despite her efforts to suppress it. 

"Kagome?" Inu Yasha asked uncertainly. He watched as she frowned again and closed her eyes. Her brows furrowed and she winced again before she shook her head and came back to herself. _That is just too weird. Inu Yasha thought. He had felt what she had, had experienced the sleepiness Kagome had when she reached out to Taomaru but the hanyou resisted it better. Inu Yasha had also gotten a taste of the headache she had been experiencing when she reached out to Sesshomaru._

Kagome shook her head. "I can't get through; Sesshomaru's blocking me." The others looked at her as if she had momentarily gone insane. Inu Yasha sighed, noting her embarrassed expression. Silently, he pulled her against him, into the protection of his embrace. He rested his chin on her head, looking completely relaxed, as if this were normal. The dark haired girl started and then relaxed against him, smiling slightly. For one perfect moment the couple was united in complete contentment. Inu Yasha's demon powers flared and wrapped the two in a metaphysical blanket, increasing the pleasant feeling. Kagome's power did the same and the flimsy link between the two solidified into a clear connection. The outside world disappeared for the couple.

_Kagome. Inu Yasha whispered in awe. __I can feel you... in my head. He couldn't think of anything truly moving to say so he settled for the obvious, the emotions he felt accompanying the statement. He felt Kagome laugh, a warm flowing stream of color and mirth, and knew she felt the same way he did. It was a pleasant moment to be ruined as fast as it occurred._


	4. Family History

Chapter 3:  Family History

_This is scary… the hanyou remarked as an afterthought and immediately felt Kagome pull away. She was hurt; somewhere inside her had been a hope that now, finally, they would be able to connect and maybe- just maybe- he'd confess he loved her too. But now that hope had been badly bruised again and Kagome was pulling back, separating her thoughts from his, before he delved too deep and saw or sensed how much she cared for him._

The dark haired girl stepped out of the hanyou's arms and hurriedly walked down a hallway, following a route that very few knew. Kagome knew of its existence because Taomaru knew of it. Kagome heard the others chasing after her, chastising Inu Yasha for what ever he did, and she felt tears leak from her eyes. She didn't know why she was crying or why she felt the urgent need to get away from them all but she did; she had to get away from them or she'd loose control and start screaming. Kagome turned again and hit a panel disguised in the wall. The panel slipped backward and a door, completely hidden unless you knew it was there, swung inward. Kagome jumped through and pushed the door back into place. She heard the others run by and knew she was safe for the time being. _Kagome, where are you? The voice belonged to Inu Yasha, worried and trying to force her to tell him where she was hiding. In response, Kagome slammed a 'door' on him and on everyone else she could feel with her magic, an image of a bank vault door barring them all from her thoughts. Crying full out, she continued on her downward journey through the dark narrow hall way. _

Swords clanged and people cried out in anger and pain. Those still loyal to the Dog Clan rallied around their princess as they fought for their home. They were few against hundreds but somehow, Momiji's will to live, to protect her family and friends gave them the strength to fight on. Within an hour, the expansive foyer was clear of fighting agents of the Dark Army- those that remained were dead; their bodies littering the floor. 

"Princess! We have gained the foyer but our troops outside are loosing ground. I love this land as if it was my own but we cannot keep this up." The crane youkai panted beside her. He was covered in blood, most of it belonging to the enemy soldiers. His normally white feathers were matted down, making him appear thinner than usual, a more macabre version of himself. The princess too had suffered damage but her demonic healing powers were already sealing the wounds shut. Her hair was matted with sweat, tied back out of her eyes by a strip of cloth torn from her robes. 

Momiji looked out at her troops and saw that, though they had fought well, they were all injured to varying degrees. It infuriated her but was not something she could dismiss. She growled long and low and issued the order to close the gates. They would see to their injuries and defend the castle foyer as long as possible. The heavy rock and oak doors were shut and the bolt slid home. While the men saw to themselves, Momiji went to the rear of the castle, through the entrance of the tunnels that led to the more protected areas of the Dog Clan palace. Down the winding corridors she went, ever deeper under the ground. At last she found the door she sought and pushed, a massive amount of effort even for the youkai. At last the stone door moved enough to let her into her personal sanctuary.

It had taken her years to carve the room from the cavern wall, to create a place where she could relax and not be stared at by her family. It was her space, her area where she could practice her magic without interruption or inquisition. Unlike the rest of her family, unlike her brother, her magic had not manifested itself as purely destructive. When she had begun lessons on how to hone her skills, her instructors had tried to teach her how to do the more traditional aspects of youkai magic. When it became obvious that her talents laid elsewhere, an effort was made to suppress her magic which, in the end, almost drove Momiji herself crazy. 

Momiji could not do anything destructive without a price- her emotions had to be at a certain level before the magic would manifest itself. The shortest way to explain her magic would be to say that Momiji had an intricate relationship with nature, a bond that could be used to shape the land around her. It had been there as long as Momiji could remember, a benign buoyant force that helped her through her family's effort to 'help.' The only family member who understood Momiji's power and need for solitude was her brother, Lukin. He knew of this room and enforced its secrecy as well as Momiji's habits. The twins had both been born with the same type of power, though Lukin's took on a more destructive side without effort. He had to push to do something gentle with the power inside him; the reverse was true for his sister.

The princess took her position in the dark room, finding her place easily with her night vision. Momiji silenced her racing thoughts, pushing them aside as she drew more and more on her magic. Her power flared, flowing over her frame and providing the only illumination in the place. Blue light played over the rocky floor, making soft wave designs when it fell upon the steaming surface of the hot spring pool. The hot water felt nice against Momiji's skin as she slid into it. She walked out into the gradually deepening pool until she was waist deep in the lapping water.  She took up a praying posture, head bent and hands clasped together as if in prayer. Momiji concentrated her power on one thought, the desire she felt in her heart. She wanted to protect her home, to keep it and all who lived there safe. 

She thought of her father, strong and arrogant but naive as well. Her power flared, moving through the water she stood in then into the rock around her and up to the surface. She knew when the oak and stone door was broken open, knew that her soldiers were fighting and being killed under the fresh assault. Momiji thought of her mother, a cowardly woman but with a wonderful sense of humor. The doors the queen hid behind would not hold against the troops, could not hold against the youkai. Momiji felt tears slip from her eyes as, with the aid of her magic, she watched her mother change form and claw through the assault- the first brave thing the woman had ever done. Lukin's power flared and united with his sisters as he charged the Dark Army's troops in full dog form. 

"Help." Momiji whispered in her chamber, asking whatever God would listen, focusing her power on that one desire. "Help us fight, help us protect the ones we love." Beneath the princess' feet the earth rumbled. On the battlefield far above, all hell broke loose.

I rubbed my temple with one hand, gritting my teeth against the throbbing in my head. My other hand was pawing at my eyes as if wiping at them would make the tears go away. When I could concentrate-ignoring my tears and the pain in my head- I sorted through my thoughts, trying desperately to find the source of my distress. The more I tried, the more the reason eluded me- I felt as if I were falling apart. It was some time before I realized I was glowing, lighting up the narrow passage I sat in with a rose tinted light. Great- now I was a lightning bug on steroids and probably the only source of light this tunnel had seen in centuries. I didn't know why I was glowing, didn't know why my power had manifested itself, but I was and it only made me want to scream. 

The only thing I did know was that I couldn't completely block Sesshomaru out- I was experiencing his headache as he did and it felt like my head was splitting open. I had tried to find out what was wrong and hadn't been able to get through the barriers he had erected. I doubted he could hear me as I pleaded with him to make it stop, to get away from whatever was making him stressed out and go have a brief nap. He ignored me, or didn't hear me, and the symptoms just got worse- the headache had progressed to the point that I was unable to see straight. As bad became worse, a part of me longed for Inu Yasha's touch, longed for the painlessness that it offered, but I suffered through the headache, determined to stay away from the hanyou for a while longer. What I needed was my backpack, a glass of water and a very large bottle of aspirin. 

Well, sitting here wasn't going to help matters. I stood, a hand on each wall so I could keep my balance. Another ice pick of pain drove itself through my temple and I couldn't understand how Sesshomaru could stand it. God, I couldn't take this anymore! I had to find Inu Yasha, had to take refuge in his arms even if they were cold. As odd a description as it may be, that was the feeling I got from Inu Yasha when his power and mine tried to merge. There had been a wonderful, beautiful moment where I had felt whole, like I belonged in his arms and no where else. And then a cold sensation had flowed over it when he said it was scary. Nebulous feelings had accompanied it, a reluctance to share in the moment with me, a fear that I might see what he was keeping from me. He had stopped the merge and that in itself had been a great loss. I suppose that when the moment came, the day we could bare our feelings to each other, I had always thought Inu Yasha would push it forward; would welcome me with open arms and confessed that he was madly in love with me. The moment had come, the timing right… and Inu Yasha had pushed me away and run from it. That was probably why I was crying- he rejected me and I didn't know which pain was worse; the one in my heart or the one in my head.

My right arm gave out suddenly and I stumbled against that side of the wall, falling to the floor. I tried flexing the arm and when that failed, I tried clenching my fist. I couldn't do that either- the limb felt dead; there was no sensation at all. "Damn it!" I cursed and struggled to my feet again. I wiped at my eyes, trying vainly to bring them into proper focus. I felt liquid leak from my nose and cursed that too, using my sleeve to wipe it away. I noticed how dark the mucus was and realized it wasn't mucus at all- it was blood. 

"What? What the hell is this?" I asked, unbelieving of the vicious turn of events. I had never had a headache this bad, had never heard of _anyone having a headache bad enough to cause a nosebleed. Was this a typical headache for a youkai as strong as Sesshomaru? If this head splitting sensation was typical, I didn't want to be around when the demon lord had one that was unusual! I kept moving down the passageway, continuously trying to flex my arm and make it work again. _

I came to a stony dead end and wanted to scream. There had to be a panel, a switch of some sort to open a door in the unyielding wall. I tried to wake Taomaru, reaching out with my magic, and couldn't concentrate enough to get his attention. I think I managed to form a pathetic distress call. I pounded the wall, listening for a hollow spot even as more pain seared through my head. I couldn't hear anything and sunk to the floor in defeat. I stopped hammering the wall, realized that my knuckles were bleeding. I looked at them numbly, staring without comprehension. I wiped my bloody nose again and closed my eyes, leaning against the wall for support. I started hitting the wall- someone would hear me, surely. God, I wanted to go home.

Sesshomaru longed for his bedroom. He couldn't concentrate on the battle plans he and the other lords were discussing. The youkai ruler's expression never wavered, always looking as if he were bored with the whole thing or as if the plans did not concern him; as if a marauding army had never taken over the neighboring Southern Kingdom and wasn't about to ride down upon the Western Lands to do the same thing. They had been there for hours and the only thing the lords had accomplished was Sesshomaru getting extremely annoyed and his tension headache raging out of control. If he didn't get away from these pompous windbags soon he was going to start bleeding. Bleeding and the weakness it portrayed was not an option in front of these idiots; not now, not ever. 

The headaches had become a part of Sesshomaru's life almost two years before his mother died. As a child, he had thought of them as an alarm system that had no real use and had many flaws. They mostly occurred while he was in the palace, at inopportune times during princely duties. Before the headaches had manifested, Sesshomaru had simply been board, anxiously awaiting the conclusion of the session so he could do something else. He was a child afterall- listening to territorial disputes was not fun. But after a while, the sessions got longer and more of them were crammed into the day, leaving no time for fun and games. The only haven from these boring times was when Sesshomaru spent time with his mother. Because she was the mate to the ruler of the Western Lands, she had the power to dismiss the instructors- or his father for that matter. 

As the headaches came to light, sanctuary became a necessity. Lord Momaru, ruler of the Western Lands, had originally thought that his clever son was trying to get out of the important lessons- Sesshomaru was a prince after all and had to know how to manage the land he would inherit. After the prince mentioned it to his father, the lord ordered his son to wait out the meeting. Before the discussion began, Momaru had a word with the instructor, telling him to make the lesson longer and more detailed than usual. The lord sat quietly while Sesshomaru studied and learned, occasionally rubbing his temples. The lesson droned on and on and even Momaru had to admit it was boring. 

Sesshomaru toughed it out because one did not disobey one's father, especially when said father was the ruler of the domain. So the young prince sat there, his headache getting worse and worse, and attempted to concentrate on the lesson at hand. He took notes as best he could, sometimes having gaps or disjointed sentences. He rubbed at his temples, the place the pain was the worst, and desperately wished for his mother. Sesshomaru's eye blurred, refusing to focus on anything, and the boy blinked as he swayed slightly. He heard his name called in a demanding manner and snapped his head up, determined to follow his father's wishes. He saw the blurry figure of his tutor come close and felt a stab of pain pierce his temples. 

He felt liquid drip from his nose and absently wiped it away. The same sensation came from his ears as well and Sesshomaru became very confused. His instructor was talking to him, but the boy couldn't hear him. He closed his eyes, hoping that if they rested for a moment, just for a minute, they would work properly again. They fluttered open again after a while and he was on his back, his father holding him. Momaru was saying something, shaking his son lightly, and Sesshomaru made a massive effort to listen. He winced and rubbed his temples trying to make the pain go away but he couldn't. It was still there making his head feel like it would split open and spill its contents all over the study floor. Through the hoard of rampaging horses galloping through his head, Sesshomaru could only think of one person who could help. "Hahaue." The boy said weakly, tugging his father's kimono. Sesshomaru wanted to sleep, physically comfortable in his father's strong arms. He could feel Momaru moving down the hall, could see the hazy change of color in the ceiling as they traveled further into the palace.

 Another stab of pain lanced through the boy's head and he clutched at his temples, curling into a ball as if to ward off a blow. He lay limply against his father and fought not to scream. It occurred to the prince that this close he should be able to smell his father and draw comfort from the scent. Sesshoamru couldn't smell anything, couldn't hear his father's heart beat either. He was blind and deaf, being held by something that wasn't his father. He gasped and tried to struggle out of the startled thing's arms. Sesshomaru fought, pushing and clawing to get away, constantly clutching at his head and pulling back bloody claws. The boy couldn't think- could only act as he let loose a pain filled howl, followed by whimpering, and tried to get away from the thing pinning him down. Momaru held onto the wildly striking prince watching as the frightened child's eyes changed from amber to red. The sudden rush of blood was the last straw and his son's eyes finally rolled back in his head, his body going limp and falling backward. Lady Kitori, summoned by Momaru's verbal and mental shouting, rushed around the corner in time to see her son pass out, lunging forward to catch him as he fell from his alarmed father's arms. 

"Sesshou-chan! Sesshou-chan!" She cried, holding her son close and shaking him. She noted the scratches on his face, the blood coming from them and from his nose and ears. "My God, what happened?" Both parents could only stare at each other and at the unconscious child in his mother's arms.

As Sesshomaru grew older, he became more and more emotionless- an ice prince who wanted nothing to do with those around him. It was the only way to control the headaches, to suppress them if they started. As time went by and Sesshomaru mastered his powers, the prince became more prone to the attacks when he was in the palace- in the very place he was supposed to feel the most comfortable. He couldn't sit through lengthy meetings about land affairs, couldn't sit through dinners with other lords. Eventually he took to wandering, escaping his more political obligations and at the same time exploring the land that was now his. The older members of his household knew of Sesshomaru's bouts of distress and warned any new employees not to go near the prince when he was in his room- the former queen's room. Even Jaken didn't go near Sesshomaru when he was in this state and the little toad youkai followed his master _everywhere. The prince had killed one servant accidentally when the unfortunate youkai had pestered Sesshomaru on his way to his room about a message from a lord. Said youkai had been found an hour later with his torso slashed open and his innards spilling all over the floor._

Sesshomaru was only too happy to adjourn the meeting with the tipsy lords before him- tipsy because they had been taking advantage of Sesshomaru's liquor cabinet. Sesshomaru had found that one way to insure the quick and timely closing of a meeting was to supply plenty of alcohol. The lesser youkai were more prone to becoming inebriated and Sesshomaru took full advantage of the weakness. With enough liquor on tap at the right occasion, even Sesshomaru could become drunk but the alcohol was metabolized so quickly it didn't affect him that badly. But this was not the occasion and Sesshomaru had not had any alcohol and wanted desperately to get the hell away from these self righteous bastards. He had traveled for so long that the demon lord was at a loss to ward off his headache; it had been years since he had had a political meeting and all his hard won training had evaporated. 

The lords departed, muttering thanks and promises that they would keep revising the plans; though they had no intention of doing so. They bowed in turn to the sitting Sesshomaru, and left the room, staggering back to the guest dens they had been given. He waited until they left, summoning a servant – who watched her lord rub his temple and immediately knew that emergency rules were in effect for all who served Sesshomaru- and giving specific orders about guards, sleeping arrangements and food. He also asked about Inu Yasha's whereabouts and nearly hit the girl when she told him they had been acting strangely, also informing him that Lady Kagome had disappeared after he and the other lords had left the main hall. Kagome had not been seen for several hours and the ground had begun to shake. 

Sesshomaru blinked, trying to focus on what the girl was saying. "An earthquake?" Sesshomaru pondered, knowing that the servants would follow the corresponding protocol. He dismissed her, climbing to his feet and pointedly heading down the winding central staircase to the first floor and out to the wooden door that separated the castle proper to the more secluded- and guarded- Dog clan section. Sesshomaru followed the long tunnels downward, feeling his nose begin to bleed as he made the journey. The youkai lord felt another stab of pain and was driven to his knees, silently suffering through the agony in his head. He ground his teeth and tried to focus his eyes in the darkness, failing miserably. _The meeting was too long. Sesshomaru cursed and forced himself to his feet, continuing the path downward. After several minutes his right arm gave him pain, a dull ache that quickly turned to a burning sensation.  _

He looked at the empty sleeve blankly. It was true that in addition to his headache attacks, Sesshomaru on occasion felt a brief sensation of pain from his missing arm. It was bizarre and the youkai had first wondered if his arm was growing back. It wasn't and the pain continued to baffle him and Jaken. Unbeknownst to Sesshomaru, the pain would be termed phantom pain by doctors centuries later, a condition common in amputee patients. Even though the limb was gone, the person still felt pain from the nerves as if the limb were still attached and in distress.

Sesshomaru made it to his room, pushing the heavy doors open and closing them behind him. He leaned against it briefly, feeling some of his anxiety slip away. He sighed in relief, wincing visibly as an ice pick pierced his skull again. He blinked his now unfocused eyes and realized that his room was not empty. Liquid slipped from his nose and he heard it fall to the floor- his ears the only sense now working but in all likelihood that would not last long. 

                "Sesshomaru, what the hell happened to you?" Inu Yasha's surprised voice sounded from the youkai's right and he turned in that direction. Sesshomaru heard more than one person moving, and fought with his power and his instincts to keep from changing shape- if he changed, the sudden blood rush would make the prince collapse. 

                "If you value your lives, you will l-" Sesshomaru was grabbed from behind by unseen hands, his mouth being covered and a handful of something slipped inside. Some of it slid down his throat by reflex before he could stop it

Pennath:

Questions? Comments? Hey al you Sesshomaru fans out there ::tap tap:: I want to hear from you too. All the Inu fans are voicing their thoughts- let me know what you think? Keep an eye out for the next chapter and please feel free to email me or contact me via ICQ. (Click my name and all that info is there.) Have a good day!


	5. Guilt

Chapter 4: Guilt

Taomaru woke up a while later, long after Kagome's pathetic attempt at waking him. He stretched and yawned, his power and energy repleated after his long nap. He'd been asleep for several hours, hiding away from people in his strange home, relaxing in the cavern's natural hot spring. He pulled on his discarded robes, ready to make himself known to the lords and troops. As Taomaru left the chamber, his sharp ears picked up a sound that was unknown to the cavern, something foreign that did not belong in the normally silent area. 

                Curious and a bit wary, Taomaru followed the sound, surprised when he came to one of the hidden passages scattered inside the cavern and castle. At first the youkai thought the rhythmic banging was a stuck servant trying to be heard and let out. But then, why weren't they crying out for help? Taomaru pressed the switch into the stone passage, watching as part of the wall slipped away. He gasped when he saw who was in the passage way, feeling guilt like a tidal wave wash over him. 

                                                            Even though the wall behind her had moved away, Kagome remained curled against the wall to the left of the new doorway. She remained there, her back to Taomaru and continued to bang with her left hand, ignoring or not feeling the bloody knuckles that left streaks in their wake. She had her eyes tightly closed, her body curled up. Taomaru dropped to the ground and called her name, afraid to startle her. He moved until he could see all of her, noting her bloody nose and wondering what the hell had happened in the past few hours. 

                Taomaru knew that Inu Yasha wasn't anywhere close by. The youkai could feel the hanyou, could feel his distress and panic because he couldn't find Kagome.  The dark haired youkai tried to track down Sesshomaru and only ran into a wall, a solid wall that held back some serious pain. He turned his attention to the girl in front of him, reaching out with his hand and his magic. He touched her shoulder and a taste of what Kagome was suffering from sent him sprawling on his back. Taomaru righted himself, shocked, and crawled toward Kagome again, carefully not touching her. 

                "Kagome, Kagome can you hear me?" Taomaru tried, grabbing her moving hand. The knuckles were completely raw, worse than the damage the fight a day earlier had inflicted. Kagome gave no response, wincing and feebly flexing her right arm. Taomaru knew she was in there, somewhere amidst the agony she suffered from, afraid to answer incase it brought more pain. She was fighting to stay awake, to fight back against an enemy that was in her head. Silently, Taomaru picked her up, feeling her curl against his chest as he carried her through the recently opened door and up a ramp to the bedrooms a few hundred feet above them. He wrapped his tail around her, mentally calling her back to reality. At last she responded, shielding him from the raging headache she and Sesshomaru were experiencing. _I need my bag!  She said firmly, emphasizing the order with images of a bottle of something called aspirin and a glass of water. The youkai got the message and took her to the quiet room where everything would be._

                Inu Yasha, Sango, Miroku, Rin and Shippo had searched the castle from top to bottom. They had backtracked several times to the spot Kagome had vanished from, finding nothing useful and, more importantly, no Kagome. They had asked the servants to keep an eye out for her and wanted to ask Sesshomaru about hiding places of booby traps hidden within the castle, but he was in a meeting with the visiting lords, not to be disturbed under penalty of death. With nothing solid to go on and no help forthcoming, the group had turned its investigations outdoors and was combing the grounds for Kagome as well. 

They'd been at it for several hours when the ground below them had suddenly lurched underfoot and pitched them all onto their behinds. The soldiers, both human and youkai, that had been practicing out doors also tumbled backwards, a call of alarm going through them and sending everyone into attack positions. A huge wolf dog appeared on the ground before Inu Yasha and the others, chocolate brown with its hackles raised. Its lips pulled back in a snarl, skipping over and then displaying its monstrous teeth. The canine's muzzle came close, a very loud growl issuing forth. One red eye looked over the stunned group while the clawed out socket faced outward at the other youkai in the yard. 

                "Taomaru!" Inu Yasha said in surprise. He had never seen his uncle in full form before and the hanyou had to admit the site was intimidating. The wolf dog's ears zeroed in on Inu Yasha and Taomaru snarled loudly. His tail whipped the air angrily, making a whipping noise that emphasized the raw fury coming from the massive animal. Inu Yasha was completely at a loss and took a step back, moving in front of the recovering Sango and Miroku.

                Through out the yard the soldiers were regaining their footing and creeping toward the canine, spears raised. They roared and charged when they were in range, a coordinated effort executed perfectly thanks to Kagome's walkie talkies. Weapons sank into flesh but Taomaru paid them no heed. He continued to glare down at the five before him, to furious to even speak. The surprised soldiers stood there stunned for a second and then began hacking at the youkai's legs. Now he couldn't ignore them anymore. He used his tail to sweep the humans and lesser youkai away from his person. 

                "Taomaru, what's wrong?" Sango asked, Rin and Shippo hiding behind and clinging to her legs. She had her boomerang out and was ready to use it, Miroku right beside her with his air rip. Inu Yasha drew Tetsusagia, the sword transformed and ready for battle. None of them knew why the youkai was suddenly snarling and angry with them, but they would not allow him to harm them. 

                Taomaru took deep breaths and the effort to calm down showed plain as day. The red in his eye bled away partially but did not leave the orb completely. "You are to follow me. Put your weapons away and come peacefully." The words were ground out painfully, as if what Taomaru really wanted to do was scream and yell at them all. 

                "We will if you calm down." Miroku said reasonably, lowering his sealed hand and standing peacefully. Sango and Inu Yasha did not make any move to put their weapons away just as Taomaru did not calm down. 

                "I have found Lady Kagome." Was all the wolf dog said and promptly turned around, heading to the rear of the castle and the small mountain behind it. 

                "Where's Kagome-onee-chan?" Rin asked urgently, missing the elder girl.

                "Kagome?" Inu Yasha said, his heart turning to ice. If the youkai was that angry then something must have happened to her. The others had been thinking the same thing, their expressions becoming alarmed and grim. Dread settling in everyone's stomach, the set off at a run to catch up with the large canine disappearing through a large door.

                "Go back to your training," Miroku ordered, the last one through the passage and the only one sensing the surge of activity following them. "Taomaru is not a threat- hopefully. He's Sesshomaru's uncle." And with that the monk slipped through the doorway. The soldiers just stared after them. "Uncle?" 

                The troop couldn't keep up with Taomaru's fast pace down the winding corridors and eventually had to hitch a ride on his back. When all were aboard, the youkai ran down the passage ways until they reached the door he wanted. Inside he ordered everyone off, shrinking and changing back to his humanoid form. Wondering where the hell they were, Miroku and Sango voiced the question, each carrying a child in their arms. Inu Yasha growled; thanks to his nose he already knew where they were.

"Sesshomaru's den." The hanyou said, eyes flicking over the darkened area and hunting for his brother. Other than themselves, the room was empty. There was movement from the bed and Inu Yasha snapped his head that way, his senses on high alert. His jaw dropped when he saw who it was. 

"Kagome!" He yelled and bounded toward her. He dodged Taomaru, who tried to stop him, and leapt onto the high bed. The futon under him bounced under his weight, jostling Kagome who opened her eyes in response. 

"No!" Taomaru whispered fiercely, trying to pull Inu Yasha off the bed and away from the girl. The hanyou threw off the youkai's hands, grabbing hold of Kagome and pulling her toward him. Kagome resisted, the uncoordinated movements bearing her bandaged hand. Inu Yasha held her close, looking for any other damage anxiously and smelling traces of blood from her nose. Kagome continued to push at him, saying nothing but her eyes speaking volumes. Tears ran freely from them, not stopping even when he laid her back down and her eyes closed. Inu Yasha tried to reach her mentally, calling for her and demanding an explanation. He only got the impression of spikes and swords- sharp implements of all kinds- and watched in confusion as Kagome curled onto her side.  

Taomaru grabbed him and dragged him off the bed, dropping the hanyou roughly on the floor. The youkai was extremely angry as he leapt back on the bed, looking Kagome over and helping her get comfortable. Shippo jumped onto the bed, curling beside the girl and running a tiny hand through her thick hair. Taomaru nodded to himself then leapt off the bed, landing lightly on the floor. He stood in time to prevent Inu Yasha from jumping up again. The youkai held Inu Yasha tight despite the hanyou's efforts to free himself. Sango looked between the bed and the hanyou, not knowing who to help first. 

"Let me go!" Inu Yasha roared, kicking the air viciously. "Kagome! Kagomumphf!"  The hanyou was cut off by Taomaru covering his mouth with his hand. Miroku and Sango rushed forward, ready to defend him and Taomaru used his tail to trip them. They opened their mouths to speak and Taomaru growled.

"All of you shut up!" The youkai ordered. "Screaming is not helping anything, especially Kagome. Now all of you be quiet!" He threw Inu Yasha violently and the hanyou tumbled to the ground several feet away. He growled, climbing to his feet to attack. 

"Get out of my way!" Inu Yasha yelled and saw his uncle glance at the bed. 

"Inu Yasha, curse you, shut that loud mouth of yours! Kagome needs to sleep and your yelling is going to wake her up again." Taomaru made no effort to move, barring his nephews path to the bed. 

"What is wrong with Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked sharply. 

"Where has she been for the last couple of hours?" Sango asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. 

Taomaru opened his mouth to answer, shut it and looked toward the door in surprise. "Give me a minute and all will be explained." The youkai said, turning on his heel and fishing something out of Kagome's backpack. The youkai twisted open the bottle he retrieved, dumping a handful of pills out. A bronze eye quickly skimmed over the instructions as the others watched with curiosity. Taomaru turned his head toward the door again, lips pursed in thought. He looked over everyone in the room, a finger to his lips to silence everyone. "Stay quiet." He whispered to Inu Yasha and the hanyou looked at him in quizzically. It was then he heard and sensed Sesshomaru coming down the hallway. 

Taomaru waved his hands and the lights dimmed, leaving the room in semi-darkness. The door opened a minute later and Sesshomaru stepped inside, leaning against the door after closing it. The demon lord rubbed his temples, his head bowed as he sighed.  He raised his head, wincing visibly in pain. The youkai blinked unfocused amber eyes, blood dripping from his nose. 

Inu Yasha gasped in surprise, looking at the strange state of his brother. "Sesshomaru, what the hell happened to you?" His brother turned toward him, eyes narrowed but unclear. He scanned over the room, Sango and Miroku stepping closer to Inu Yasha. They were both as surprised as the hanyou as they looked at the normally immaculate youkai before them. 

"If you value your lives, you will l-" Sesshomaru was cut off by Taomaru, the dark haired youkai having seemingly appeared directly behind his nephew. He covered Sesshomaru's mouth, dumping its contents inside and held him tight as the pale youkai fought him. 

"Swallow, Sesshomaru! Just swallow!" Taomaru growled and Inu Yasha's brother fought harder, wrapping his tail around Taomaru's legs and trying to jerk them out from under him. Sesshomaru clawed at Taomaru's hands, having limited reach because the older youkai had pinned him at the elbow. He bit, trying to use his teeth to remove the hand that prevented him from breathing. They continued to scuffle, each trying to pin the other. Inu Yasha and the others didn't know who to root for because they didn't know what was going on. 

"Sesshomaru- sama!" Rin wailed and ran toward her struggling hero. She was stopped by Sango, the demon exterminator holding the child easily against her chest. Rin fought Sango but was no match for the older warrior.

"What's happening?" Miroku asked Inu Yasha as the latter continued to watch the pair. He did not respond to the question, watching in surprise as Taomaru shoved his fingers into Sesshomaru's mouth; he was bitten badly in the process but didn't pay it any attention. Sesshomaru gagged, choking a second before swallowing whatever Taomaru had forced into his mouth. 

"We should help!" Miroku said watching the proceedings and this time Inu Yasha looked at him with a frown. 

"Help who? Both of them seem pissed at the moment and are more likely to claw us than thank us afterward." It was a valid point. 

At last, Sesshomaru's struggles became weak, his strikes less coordinated. He swayed and if Taomaru hadn't been holding him, the pale youkai would have fallen to the floor. His eyes fluttered and he sagged, still trying to claw his uncle. He continued to kick even as his head fell to one side, eyes closed, and Taomaru wrapped his own tail around Sesshomaru's legs. Only when Sesshomaru was completely limp did his uncle pick him up. 

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin screamed and broke free of Sango, running over to and then pulling on her caretaker's tail. Inu Yasha approached as well when his brother failed to respond to his ward's cries. Taomaru sighed heavily and righted Sesshomaru, holding him uneasily. 

"Here, hold him." And Inu Yasha found himself holding his unconscious brother, under his arms, Sesshomaru's head resting on Inu Yasha's shoulder. Startled, the hanyou almost dropped the youkai, afraid that his brother would suddenly leap up and tare his throat out. But as Sesshomaru stayed limp and unresponsive, Inu Yasha began to worry. 

"Sesshomaru?" Inu Yasha asked softly as he watched Taomaru remove the other's armor. _Brother? The hanyou tried tentatively, reaching out with a mental appeal. __Brother, are you okay? Sesshomaru responded with hazy images, pain and sleep tinged.  Inu Yasha gathered that his brother had been in pain, a very awful agony that was not entirely new to the youkai. Inu Yasha remembered earlier in the foyer when Kagome had rubbed her temples repeatedly much as Sesshomaru had done upon entering his bedroom. The hanyou concluded that Sesshomaru must have been the source of the pain Kagome had been experiencing.  __But, __when she and I touched, she felt no pain. Why hadn't she stayed with him when the pain became unbearable?_

Sango appeared beside Inu Yasha, touching Sesshomaru's face gently. She began whipping his bloody nose and this time Sesshomaru did react- it was slow but he did move. The youkai pulled back, away from the wet cloth she used. _Easy Sesshomaru, Inu Yasha soothed. __Sango's just cleaning up the blood. Sesshomaru's thoughts settled as Sango finished, changing from flashes of spiky alarm to a quiet hum. The youkai was asleep, succumbing easily to the drugs his uncle had slipped him, and would not be moving anytime soon. _

Taomaru took Sesshomaru from the hanyou, dropping his armor on the floor, picking him up one handed and tossing the lord over his shoulder. Rin continued to howl, following the dark haired youkai as he walked and then jumped on the bed. Taomaru laid him on the bed a few feet from Kagome, letting the youkai settle as he would. Inu Yasha was not happy with that arrangement and hopped onto the bed also, about to move Kagome to the safety of a nearby couch. Taomaru put a hand on his arm, digging his claws in.

"Leave Kagome alone." Taomaru ordered, bronze eye flicking at Sango, Miroku and Rin as they settled on the bed. He looked completely serious as they frowned. "Both she and Sesshomaru have been drugged and _need to sleep." Inu Yasha opened his mouth to protest that they didn't need to sleep so close and Taomaru held up a finger. _

                "She is fine where she is and safer here than she would be with you. You forget that you are on Sesshomaru's territory now and the rules are different. No one will come looking for her and they will stay far away from this room now that Sesshomaru is inside." 

                "What makes Sesshomaru's room such a safe place?" Sango asked, watching as a sobbing Rin continued to cry, laying her head on Sesshomaru's chest. 

                "The castle servants are on high alert. Some of the youkai who work here have been around since Sesshomaru was Rin's age. They know when to leave their lord be and when to bother him. The only one who could possibly come inside without facing a horrible death would be Jaken- and possibly Rin now." Taomaru said, running his hand through his hair.

                "What is wrong with them and what did you make Sesshomaru swallow?" Miroku asked, folding his arms irritably. Inu Yasha had been wondering the same thing. He looked down at his mate, at Kagome and wondered if she would ever be normal again. He stroked a hand gingerly through her hair and watched her expression relax. 

                "Right." Taomaru sighed and laid back on the futon. "Loveable Sesshomaru suffers from extremely bad headaches-"

                "A headache caused this?!" Inu Yasha yelled, pointing at the faint streaks of blood on Kagome's upper lip.

                "Yes. The headaches are not normal, for youkai or humans, but there is nothing to be done about them. Kagome said they were similar to migraines, a sever headache that some humans get when under extreme stress. Anyway, Kagome brought a lot of medicine with her, including medicine to combat the condition and took some herself after I found her. It took her half an hour to get to sleep so I'm quite surprised that Sesshomaru rolled over so easily." Taomaru shrugged, his tail twitching in concern. 

                "If Kagome was in such pain, why did she run from me after they started? We established that when we touched she could block out Sesshomaru." Inu Yasha snarled, warily watching Taomaru sit back up and cock his head to one side.

                "While touching you she could block out Sesshomaru?" The youkai repeated, puzzled. "But she ran from you and got stuck in one of the secret halls." The youkai fell silent as he processed this new information. In the silence that followed, Rin joined the conversation.

                "Will," she sniffled and sat up. "will Sesshomaru-sama and Kagome-onee-chan be okay?" Taomaru was at a loss; he looked at the others and met stony gazes. His face fell and finally held his arms out to the child. In need of comfort, Rin crawled over and hesitantly into his offered lap. 

                The youkai held the child in a brief hug. "Of course they'll be alright! Sesshomaru and Kagome are sick, that's all. They just need to sleep, to go for a nap, okay?" Rin looked up at him, her eyes large and watery, her expression sad. Taomaru felt his heart tare at her pathetic attitude. He shook her gently. "They _will be fine, just let them rest for the night."_

                "Is Sesshomaru sick because he has a new arm?" The child asked and watched in surprise as everyone looked at her in confusion. She shied back as they continued to stare at her.

                "New…arm?" Inu Yasha asked, moving toward his brother. He poked the sleeve of his right arm and there was something solid under there when it should have been empty. Sesshomaru continued to sleep peacefully as his brother exposed the arm to everyone else. 

                Taomaru blinked, leaning in close to look at it. He trailed a claw very lightly over the palm of Sesshomaru's right hand. It convulsed reflexively, a fine lattice of red lines covering the skin all the way up the youkai's arm. The dark haired youkai frowned. "Pull up Kagome's right arm." Inu Yasha did as he was told begrudgingly, noticing again her bandaged left hand. Like Sesshomaru's right arm, Kagome's bore the same network of red lines.

Pennath here! 

Another chapter out and ready for review. Thoughts, feelings, comments or questions- send them all my way. Remember, I love feed back and that includes IMs, Emails, and (most importantly) reviews. Tel and I both check the review page and discuss them. Both of us are working on this story so please feel free to post comments. Besides, the more reviews I get, the more I'm encouraged to post new chapters.


	6. Childhood

                Chapter 5: Childhood

"What does it mean and why is Kagome's left hand wrapped up?" The hanyou asked, picking up the hand and touching the exposed fingertips. He touched the bandages and wondered what could possibly have hurt Kagome. Had she been in another fight? Had she been attacked? She'd already been though so much in the past few days- the hanyou closed his eyes in grief- most of it because of himself. _Kagome? He called quietly, hoping to reach her through the bond he had initiated. He could feel she was still asleep with no intention of waking soon but a small part of her was listening. _

                _Kagome, I know you've been through a lot these past week or so, and I know you feel alone. A lot of the pain you've had to deal with has been my fault- the hanyou flashed on the moment he had attacked her in anger and the crunch he had heard- __and I'm sorry. The emotions he felt carried over with the message, clear and plain without confusion. __I love you, Kagome. Please come back! Kagome was not in life threatening danger- she would truly be fine after a decent sleep- but the hanyou felt as if he was losing his mate. They were both there physically but Kagome was pulling away, distancing herself mentally and magically from him as much as she could. __Come back to me. He thought, feeling a great sadness fill him at the thought of her going away- an intense emotion not felt since his mother died long ago. _

                He didn't realize he was crying as he wrapped his arms around Kagome's waist, burying his head against her stomach and laying down on top of her. The small part of Kagome that had listened to his plea reacted to his pain, welcoming him and offering comfort in an instinctual desire to ease the hanyou's distress. Inu Yasha took the invitation soon feeling himself- his essence- merge with Kagome's. His mate had been right- it was a wonderful feeling and Inu Yasha didn't stop it this time, allowing Kagome's power to sweep over and through him. He could smell her sweet scent; feel her under him and in his head. The hanyou willed himself to sleep so he could add his healing powers to aid in her recovery- completely forgetting about whom else he was sleeping next to and the others sitting on the bed. He felt someone touch his ears, rubbing the backs gently and relaxing him enough to fall asleep. For Inu Yasha, life was perfect. 

                Taomaru's jaw dropped as he eavesdropped on the confession Inu Yasha made. The youkai's shock was echoed by Sango and Miroku as they watched the hanyou begin to cry and lay down on Kagome, spreading his weight so he didn't hurt her. With wide eyes, they watched Kagome frown slightly, her hands coming up to rest her hands on Inu Yasha's head. She scratched behind his ears and in a few seconds, he was asleep. 

                "She… she sensed his distress." Miroku whispered.

                "They are bonded." Taomaru said softly. "That is what it does among other things. It's what allowed Kagome to tap into Sesshomaru's power and to suffer though his headache with him."

                "Will they always do this?" Shippo asked, speaking for the first time in a while and looking at Inu Yasha's face.

                "If they continue to bond, yes. The bond will strengthen and allow them to share power and emotions- to eventually become two halves of a whole. It is a wonderful thing but not with out consequences." Taomaru sighed, looking at the two with a touch of sadness.

                "What do you mean?" Sango demanded, feeling dread creep up on her. The youkai sighed unhappily and began to explain.

                Where the hell was I? I scanned the dark area, the endless jagged landscape. I'd finally gotten to sleep and I'd come here. Had I wandered into a circle of hell by mistake? It was cold too and I shivered then screamed when lightning forked through the sky. In the brief illumination, I spotted a familiar white haired figure, the only non-black thing here aside from myself. I knew it wasn't Inu Yasha but jogged over to the figure anyway. Misery loves company and all that.  

                "Sesshomaru!" I panted when I reached him. It had been a tough jog- the whole freaking landscape kept shifting under my feet; more so the closer I got to him. I bent over to catch my breath, hands on my knees beside the pale youkai. The air in this place was thicker, less oxygenated, and breathing wasn't fun. The figure beside me didn't respond, didn't react to my appearance at all. Aw… don't tell me this wasn't the right youkai….

                I stood up; breath caught, and looked at the guy beside me. Well, it looked like Sesshomaru. I let my eyes rove over his body, allowing myself the brief luxury of appreciating the well muscled form before me. I poked his arm lightly- it felt like Sesshomaru. I ran my hand through a lock of his pale hair; it was the same as the real one. "Sesshomaru?" I asked softly and shook him, ready to beat a hasty retreat in case he finally did respond and try to eat me or something. I waved a hand in front of his eyes and felt unnerved.

                The Sesshomaru beside me didn't respond to anything. His eyes didn't track my fingers; his hands didn't stop me from touching him. The body was warm but it was like talking to a doll. The lights were on but no one was home- or moved and didn't tell anyone. He continued to stare straight ahead, unblinking, as if I didn't exist. It was annoying; he either was practicing his ignoring skills or was genuinely a doll. Eep- I didn't know which was more eerie. I pushed him, roughly and watched him stumble. It would have been more satisfying if the ground hadn't pitched beneath me and sent me sprawling into the recovering figure.

                I hit him mid body and he couldn't keep his balance. Lightning forked the sky again and I had enough light to watch both of us fall back to the ground. I was prepared for an impact that never came. The two of fell through the ground and the Sesshomaru below me vanished. Crap. I fell for a few seconds then hit the ground. Now what was going on? I stood, looking about the new area. It was circular, the floor red with dim light coming from a hidden source above. In the middle of the room stood the Sesshomaru doll, as non-pulsed about the sudden scenery change as only Sesshomaru could ever be. 

                I sighed and got up, wandered over to him again. I was annoyed- instead of sleeping and feeling better I was playing follow the youkai. I sated my irritation by punching him lightly in the shoulder. Childish I know, but can you blame me? The only reward I could get was _maybe getting to the source of Sesshomaru's pain- if I knew the source, I could understand it better and not be so petty. "Spill it Fluffy; what the hell is going on?" _

                The doll continued to look straight ahead at the wall in front of him and light flicked from that direction. I realized that it had been since I arrived, but until I stood next to Sesshomaru, I would never see it. I shrugged to myself and took the bait. I turned around and looked at the wall, leaning against Sesshomaru like he was a wall. I blinked and stared, unsure of what I was watching. For a second I wondered if I had wandered into my living room or movie theater. Images were playing out on the wall, people moving and speaking just like a TV show displayed on the screen. One little figure on the screen got my attention immediately; I sat on the floor to watch and hopefully find out what was going on. 

                There was no sound at first but as I continued to watch, normal volume could be heard. The picture became clearer- more realistic- and I had a gnawing feeling that this was not some random grouping. I watched the figure I had recognized, the little Sesshomaru lying limply on a woman's lap with blood coming from his ears and nose. I had only seen Sesshomaru, the child Sesshomaru, in my dream a while ago. Even though it had only been that one time, I would know the little fuzz ball anywhere. I felt a smile tugging at my lips as I flashed on the memory of the holding the frightened child and comforting him in the middle of Tokyo tower. I went back to watching the wall with its moving pictures.

                "Momaru, what are we going to do?" Lady Kitori asked softly, running her hand through her son's silver white hair. Sesshomaru lay on his stomach, resting on his mother's lap. He had not woken up and it was a mixed blessing; unconscious, he wasn't in pain anymore but now his parents wondered if he would ever wake up. Lord Momaru sat beside his wife on her bed, echoing her movements and petting his son. A physician, an old cat youkai, was looking the child over, checking his pulse and for any sign of fever. The doctor checked the prince's unfocused eyes and frowned. He asked questions about diet, daily routine and even if there was a new person or servant he had met recently.   

                The couple answered every question to the best of their ability, realizing in the process that they didn't spend as much time with their son as they previously thought. At last, the doctor wiped away the dried blood- after the initial leakage, no more had flowed- and sat back to look at both parents. Momaru continued to look at his son, stroking the pale hair and smoothing it. "How could a simple headache cause such pain?" the demon lord wondered quietly. 

                Lady Kitori curled her tail around her son, her coloring the pale shade as her offspring, both a sharp contrast to her husband's slightly darker coloring. Mother and son looked so much alike that when Sesshomaru had been born years ago, everyone had originally thought he was a girl- a smaller version of his mother. Momaru had been relieved that he had a son and hoped secretly that as Sesshomaru grew older he would shed the more feminine aspects of his appearance. 

                The cat youkai frowned and gently pulled Sesshomaru away from his mother. The prince slid several inches down his mother's legs and then the prince's hands convulsed and dug into his mother's kimono. The child made protesting noises, wincing and rubbing his temples with his tail. The doctor let him go and Lady Kitori picked him up, laying him on her chest over her heart. She closed her eyes, nuzzling the pup and hoping he could feel her heart beat. "Sess-chan?" She murmured, kissing his temples. "Sessh-chan?" She loosened the tie of her robes, pulling the cloth open enough to wrap around Sesshomaru's small body. She continued to run her hands through his hair, petting him continuously. 

                Momaru waited until she was done and then pulled her and his son into his arms, wrapping his tail around them both. He rested his chin on top of Kitori's head, smelling her scent and trying to find comfort himself. He moved his head, laying his cheek against her hair so he could look at the doctor. 

                The cat youkai coughed slightly and shifted uncomfortably under the intense look of his lord and master. "The prince..." The doctor began, unsure of how to proceed.  Honestly, how do you tell your King that he is being a bad parent? The cat tried a different approach. "My lord, your son seems to under a lot of pressure. He is the prince, your heir and successor, but he is also a child." That was about as diplomatic as it was going to get unless the doctor was willing to lie flat out. "It would be best if the lessens were postponed or continued in shorter sessions. Sesshomaru is an extremely active child and that is normal, especially as a member of the Dog Clan." The youkai raised an eyebrow at Momaru who blushed- the king had been _very rambunctious child who was always into mischief. "Denying him an outlet for that energy is unhealthy and it will continue to escape in harsher ways."_

                Momaru looked at his son and felt extremely guilty. "In other words, with no play time to exorcise it, Sesshomaru's natural energy will continue to cause these headaches." He ran a hand through his son's hair and held his wife close. "Understood."

                "I will leave you three alone then." The doctor stood, taking his unneeded supplies with him. "Let Sesshomaru wake up on his own. I am confident that the headache will be gone when he rouses, but -just in case- Lady Kitori keep him close and soothe him." The cat bowed low and backed that way toward the doorway. "I will stay in the area in case you need me." He said and left, closing the door softly behind him.

                Lady Kitori and Momaru did as they was told and held their son close until he woke, several hours later. 

                I watched the scene play out and unconsciously touched my nose, where I had been bleeding from a while earlier. Hmm… so Sesshomaru suffered from extreme migraines when he was younger. His parents seemed loving and competent enough- what had made him have one earlier today? I noted the attention his mother gave him and knew- I guess because Sesshomaru knew- that her touch always made him feel better. I also knew that he would suffer from these headaches for the rest of his life but relief would not be available after the next two years; Lady Kitori would die within that time frame and leave her son with a very different father from the one in the scene I had watched. I glanced at Sesshomaru, the unmoving doll standing beside me; his expression remained impassive and blank, giving away nothing. I turned back to watch the wall. I watched Lady Kitori- the affectionate mother, the wonderful queen- and felt sad and alone for the both of us.

                Taomaru sighed heavily. "It has been a long time since a mated pair has bonded completely, if it has ever happened at all. I believe that Lord Momaru- Sesshomaru's and Inu Yasha's father- and his first wife Lady Kitori were the only couple in centuries who achieved that close a bond with the other. Together, they were the pride of the Western Lands, making the territory prosper. Alliances continued and people united." The youkai paused and smiled sadly. "When Lady Kitori died however… to say that Lord Momaru was devastated would be an understatement."

                "How much of an understatement?" Shippo asked, eyes wide. 

                "I'm guessing a very big one, right?" Sango asked, frowning. 

                Miroku sighed. "She died and left Lord Momaru and Sesshomaru to rule the kingdom. Sesshomaru, taking advantage of his father's grief, took over the kingdom." The monk nodded sadly. The road of love had many pitfalls. 

                "Sesshomaru-sama did not!" Rin cried, always ready to leap and defend her protector's honor. She stuck her tongue out at Miroku and looked up at Taomaru. "It's not right?"

                The dark haired youkai blinked in surprise at Miroku, not understanding where the monk's conclusion had come from. "Rin is correct; Sesshomaru did not use his father's grief and take over the kingdom. He had to put it back together while his father refused to do anything." Taomaru frowned at Miroku and continued his story, ruffling Rin and Shippo's hair. Sango looked at Sesshomaru, the youkai so innocent in sleep and different from his normal nature. She touched his still red lined right arm; the flesh was soft and normal.

                "Where did the arm come from?" She asked as she poked at it gently. She yipped in surprise when muscles twitched under her fingers.

                Taomaru smiled but his eye remained a serious bronze. "I think you can owe that to Kagome. I'm not sure how she did it, but I am sure she made his arm re-grow." He pointed at Kagome's hands, still scratching Inu Yasha's ears while both slept. "When the headache got to an agonizing level, it's possible that her power empathized so much that it joined the two in that moment. She was only moving her left arm when I found her, banging it continuously against the wall."

                "So," Shippo began slowly. "Because Sesshomaru has no right arm, Kagome suddenly couldn't use her right arm."

                "And then Kagome's power flared in response," Sango finished as she picked up the logic. "Restoring the use of her right arm and also restoring Sesshomaru's arm in the process."

                "But why would Kagome cause herself more pain?" Miroku wondered, scratching his chin and looking at her bandaged hand. 

                "I think that she was trying to distract herself from her headache." Taomaru said uncertainly. "You'll have to ask Kagome when she wakes up. As I was saying…" And he returned to the story of the aftermath of Lady Kitori's death.

                Nothing happened for a bit- I'm not sure how long I sat there because dream time is always screwy. I debated tipping Sesshomaru over, just to see if he'd just lie there or climb to his feet- for entertainment, you know. I finally pulled on his kimono and asked if he had anymore to show me. I wasn't sure if what I was watching were memories or just something his subconscious made up to explain what had been happening in reality. A minute later what meager light was in the room blinked out, leaving it as black as pitch.

                I swore and stood up, bumping into Sesshomaru in the process. "Damn it Fluffy! You could have simply told me this while we were awake!" I punched him in the arm hard enough to make him sway. Shit! I felt the warmth of his body tilt away and heard the scrape of his shoes as the skidded on the floor. I grabbed his sleeve- trying to pull him upright again and failing. He suddenly righted himself and made me tumble backwards, Sesshomaru falling with me because I still held his sleeve. I landed first on my back and Sesshomaru fell on top of me. 

                We were stunned, I think, and laid like that for several heartbeats. I blew air out in a rush, fed up and annoyed. "Come on, Fuzz ball- up you get." I pushed at the life sized doll, trying to roll him off.  Much to my surprise, the doll moved. His head was between by breasts and he shook it, rising up in a push up motion, his lower body pinning me to the floor still. His hair was mussed, falling over his eyes and I could see him blink those amber orbs several times before they focused on me. Sesshomaru looked confused- hell, he and I both- and I pushed his hair out of his eyes, 

                He continued to look at me, then finally spoke in a rough voice. "What are you doing here?"

                I arched a brow at him and ignored his question. "Welcome back to the land of the living." I said and cocked my head. "Sort of, anyway." He blinked and looked around- at least one of us could see completely. Except for Sesshomaru's bright amber eyes, I couldn't see a damn thing. Maybe if I answered his question, he'd move off me. "I don't know where we are." I touched his nose and those darting eyes turned back to me. 

                "I went to sleep." I said and felt a tremor go through his body. Alarmed, I ran a hand through his hair. "What place did you go to?" I asked and he continued to shake. I could feel his head whipping around, his eyes just brief flashes in the dark. He continued to shake and with his body pressed against me I could feel his breathing speed up. I grabbed his head, a hand on either side of his face, and pulled him back to face me. "Sesshomaru, what's wrong? Calm down please." 

                He collapsed back on top of me and wrapped his arms around me. He was calming down but he was still shaking. I took a hint from his mother and ran my hands through his hair. I couldn't hear anything moving around beside the both of us so I wasn't worried about enemies- Yay; no nightmare causing youkai trying to kill us all! What a switch! Now if I could just figure out what was wrong with Sesshomaru life could return to normal. I continued to run my hands through his hair, rubbing his arms as I tried to be soothing. 

                "Why is it so dark?" Sesshomaru asked, voice muffled because his face was pressed against my neck. His breath on my throat sent goose bumps along my skin. His tail curled around me as well and his arms tightened their hold. "Bad things happen in the dark." He whispered so softly I wasn't sure I'd heard him correctly. 

                Every child knew that bad things happened in the dark, just as every horney teenager knew that could things could happen at well. There had to be something pretty nasty in the darkness if it could send Sesshomaru running for cover- cuddling up to a human for protection; boy will Sesshomaru hate me later. Well, knowledge is power. I took the bait. "What kind of bad things?"

                "Very bad things." He sounded close to tears. I looked at him, trying to move his head by nudging it with my chin. I didn't succeed but kept trying anyway. 

                "Sesshomaru, tell me." Maybe some quiet ordering would help. "You have to tell me or I can't help." I bucked him with my hips, trying to dislodge him again. He didn't move but I felt his weight lessen; a pint sized Sesshomaru clung to me. It wasn't much of an improvement, but I could move now. I held the little youkai in my arms- he wouldn't let me go anyway- and sat back up. I rubbed his back now that I was more comfortable and wondered why I had been given the terrific job of comforting the icy Sesshomaru- in a dream or in reality. 

                "The Gods hate me," I muttered to myself and turned my attentions back to the child in my lap. Maybe asking him to 'tell me' wasn't possible for him; it was time for a change in tactics. I bowed my head, resting my forehead on the crown of his skull. He looked up at me, startled, and our eyes met. "Show me, Sesshomaru. Show me what frightens you so." I commanded and he shook harder, but nodded, showing me wide haunted eyes. Light flicked from the wall in front of me and Sesshomaru flinched, hiding and pressing himself against me. His tail wrapped around both of us, winding around so much that my middle was hidden under a blanket of white fur. I looked pregnant, in a bizarre may, and for some reason that thought resonated in my head, bouncing around like a very important but half remembered idea. I let it go and promised to try and pursue it later. Right now I had to concentrate on what Sesshomaru was showing me and more importantly, why.

Comments? Problems? Let me know.


	7. Overdose and a cranky dog demon

Alright. Bad news. For the rest of the story (or until I have more time) I am only going to post a chapter a week. I know, I know; I'm evil and heartless but if I do not cut something from my schedule, no more stories will be posted again. Ever. So, to avoid that, one chapter a week it is. 

To make up for this- or to sooth tempers- I am making the chapters longer so don't flame me. I know it sucks but it's better than nothing. I will try and post every Monday so look forward to it and please don't flame me!

Legal stuff. Read the sign in chapter 1. I don't own Inu Yasha but I really wish I did!

Chapter 6: Overdose and a cranky dog demon

A slightly older Sesshomaru knocked hesitantly on a large wooden door. He was taller this time and that made his age seem more, but his behavior undermined it. He was only ten and had shot up to almost six feet. He paused and listened, growling slightly in annoyance. "Father," he called softly and knocked again. "Father, please come out. Your kingdom needs you!" Sesshomaru ground his teeth in anger and knocked again. The king had been like this since his wife died and though everyone was sad, life had to go on and duties had to be overseen. In irritation, the prince pushed the doors open and strode inside like a small pale storm. 

                He reached the bed and stood beside it- he was not that foolish to crawl onto it. "Father, please come out." He said again, a note of pleading entering his voice. The figure on the bed did not move, didn't react at all. Sesshomaru sighed and tried again. "I know you miss her Father. I miss her too but she is dead and would want-" Sharp claws gripped Sesshomaru's neck, digging in and drawing blood. Lord Momaru sat up, uncaring that he was now strangling his son. 

                "You will not speak of her that way! You do not know what she would have wanted! You were not bonded to her, _son! I was her mate and knew her better than you ever will!" The enraged king stood, sliding off the bed easily and keeping Sesshomaru high in the air. The prince would not dare attack his father so he put up with it, slowly running out of air. Sesshomaru gulped air but kept his hands at his sides as Momaru crossed the floor of his room. "I will run my kingdom when I am fit to do so. Until then leave me alone." He squeezed his hand, crushing Sesshomaru's windpipe, and then through him out the door. The prince slammed violently into the opposite wall. It was several minutes before he got painfully to all fours, his eyes watering in pain. _

                He looked at his father, the taller man framed in the huge doorway. As Sesshomaru watched, his father changed shape, becoming the gigantic dog demon that lurked beneath his humanoid form. The prince put a hand to his throat, holding back the tide of crimson liquid. Coughing, tears dripping down his face, he knelt before his father, pressing his forehead into the gritty walkway. "Understood, my Lord." Sesshomaru coughed out.  

                The giant dog growled at him, its muzzle not two feet from him. "Stop your sniveling and wipe your eyes. You are a prince and it is time you started acting like it. Tomorrow your whole day will filled with lessons and your will attend them, headache or not."

                "But father!" Sesshomaru's head left the floor, the plea to rescind the order written all over his face. That many lessons would surely elicit a headache- one that would rival his worst nightmare. "Please, Father, no!" he begged, eyes wide. 

                Momaru smacked Sesshomaru hard with his massive paw, sending his son tumbling down the hallway and winding in a heap. The prince got to his knees and stayed there. He said no more and did not move until he heard the door to his father's den shut. When all was clear he stood, bleeding from multiple injuries but none of them life threatening. He moved stiffly down the hall, passing shocked servants as he left his father's wing and walked to his own den to clean up. Now that his father had made it clear he would not do anything until he was through grieving, it was up to Sesshomaru to keep the Western Lands in order. 

                I was surprised, deeply and utterly. I wasn't sure why, but I had always thought that Inu Yasha's father would have been kind hearted, the idyllic father figure, and that Sesshomaru's mother would have been the nasty one. It would have explained his personality easier. I continued to pet the shaking bundle of fur that hid Sesshomaru and was shocked.

                A new scene began to play, but it wasn't important. In each, Sesshomaru was trying to help his father move on with his life and each time the prince took some serious abuse. After the initial memory, for lack of a better term, I could see the change in Sesshomaru's personality. Bit by bit he was becoming colder, less emotional. 

                "During that time you cut yourself off from your emotions," I said, trying to pry a coil of tail away and look the child in the face. It wasn't easy in the semi-darkness and I was extremely worried about poking his eyes out, but I finally found him. His head was buried in my stomach and he was shaking violently. "You became the cold Sesshomaru and stopped yourself from feeling."

                He looked at me then. "It didn't hurt as much, after that. I became Sesshomaru, living up to the name entirely." The boy smiled sadly and my heart hurt for him. His shaking didn't cease and after speaking he tried to curl up again. I stopped him though, forcing him to look at me. 

                "Is this the bad thing you were afraid of? Is this what scares you so?" I asked. It would scare anyone initially, but it was something one usually got over and made peace with. I had a sinking feeling what Sesshomaru was terrified of was something that popped up only in nightmares. The child in question shook his head and reached for me, burying his head under my chin and looking for a way down my shirt. I would not allow that and simply hugged him close.

He was so upset, so terrified of what it was that I decided it was time to call it quits. As he was now he would probably give himself a heart attack and drop dead. He began whimpering, his hands convulsing and catching in my hair and shirt. He was panicked, so close to screaming that it would have been cruel of me to make him tell me. Whatever it was could and would wait. "Sesshomaru, stop! Calm down! Its okay, it's okay!" I repeated it over and over, petting his hair and soothing him. "You don't have to tell me! Calm down!"

It wasn't working and he was beginning to hyperventilate. I tried to think of something-anything- that would work and calm the terrified child. I came up empty and stood. I began kicking at a wall- there had to be a way out, some sort of escape. Sesshomaru and I were dream meshing and that meant I had partial control over the events and environment here. Fine with me- I wished for an exit, wanting a way out of this dream and into some place where we were safe. I wanted it to be behind the wall I was kicking and I wanted it _right now! I slammed my foot into the wall and it gave way under the assault. I jumped through the bottomless whole with Sesshomaru held tightly to my chest and called for help. _

"So, Lord Momaru began ignoring Sesshomaru after his mother died." Shippo said, surprised. 

"He just discarded him?" Sango asked, appalled. Now she could understand why Sesshomaru was so damn antisocial. 

Taomaru nodded regretfully. "Yup. While his father downed in self pity and loneliness, the ten year old had to run and protect the Western Lands, had to fix all the problems his father's negligence had caused. Sesshomaru kept trying to get his father back on track but wound up walling up his emotions. It's hard to believe but he used to be a very expressive child- like Rin here!" The youkai ruffled the girl's hair and she gave him a wide smile.

"So the bond can unite two people utterly, but if one perishes the other becomes extremely depressed?" Miroku asked, making sure he had it straight.

"It is indeed a double edged sword." Taomaru said. "Dog demons choose a mate and stay with that person until death- it's why we are extremely choosy with our mates. That loyalty and love can bind the two together so closely that, in the event of a death, the survivor may not be able to live without the other. The bond can occur in other animals- Swan youkai do it, cat youkai do it- but it doesn't happen very often in any species."

"But if that's true," Sango said. "How did Momaru meet Inu Yasha's mother?"

At that moment, the hanyou moved, grumbling in his sleep and shifting position. He didn't look happy and neither did Kagome, rolling half on her side toward Sesshomaru. One hand left Inu Yasha's ears and found Sesshomaru's hand close by. Now that attention had been drawn to the youkai, everyone noticed that he was tossing his head slightly. Rin crawled off Taomaru's lap and perched on Sesshomaru's chest, rising up and down with his accelerated breathing. Underneath her, Sesshomaru's body began to shake. 

Alarmed, Taomaru scooted over, picking Rin up in the process with on hand and then checking the distressed sleeper's pulse. "Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin cried, fighting to get back to him and making no headway. "Sesshomaru-sama!" Inu Yasha's ears began rotating, perking up at the shrill voice. The hanyou opened his eyes, yawning hugely and rubbing his eyes. He blinked, still sleepy, and sat up. Freed, Kagome rolled over onto her stomach and opened her eyes a crack.

"What's happening?" Inu Yasha yawned again, his fangs showing clearly as he did so. Kagome sat up next to him, moving extremely slow, and yawned as well. Inu Yasha grinned and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Kagome blinked then shrugged, reaching up to scratch his ears until he purred and pulled away. Miroku, Taomaru, Sango and Shippo stared at the couple and wondered what they'd missed. 

"Kagome-onee-chan!" Rin wailed making Kagome and Inu Yasha wince. "Something's wrong with Sesshomaru-sama!" Kagome frowned and crawled over to the youkai, Inu Yasha right beside her. She laid her undamaged hand on his forehead, her eyes closing to half mast. She blinked then frowned, turning to the group to ask a question they would never hear. Her eyes went wide instead and simultaneously, she Inu Yasha, and Taomaru looked upward at the ceiling.  The humans looked at them questioningly as Taomaru and Inu Yasha jumped off the bed.

"We're under attack!" Inu Yasha explained and the others immediately sprang to the ground to follow. 

"I thought we had a few more days…" Taomaru muttered angrily. "Kagome, See to Sesshomaru and then join us upstairs. Shippo and Rin! You two come as well and leave those her alone." Shippo jumped on Inu Yasha's shoulder, but Rin required more persuading.

"Go on Rin." Kagome smiled reassuringly at the little girl. "I'll make Sesshomaru better and see you in a few minutes."

"Promise?" The little girl asked, huge teary eyes looking at Kagome.

The older girl nodded. "Promise!" And Taomaru, impatient, grabbed the little girl off the bed and strode out the door, following everyone else up to the castle. Kagome watched them leave and returned her attention to Sesshomaru.

 I sat there and wondered what to do. I had promised Rin I'd make Sesshomaru better and I didn't have a clue how to. I scratched my head, and tried to think this through. A nightmare usually woke the sleeper up if it was that bad, but Sesshomaru seemed unable to wake up by himself. I shook him and called his name- maybe if he woke up he'd be fine. He winced in his sleep, tossing his head more violently. His pulse was erratic and his temperature spiked. Oh, hell. 

"Sesshomaru, wake up!" I said, shaking him. All right; my nightmare theory was out. Had he eaten something… or taken something? Uh oh. I looked around the room, wishing for more light. I slid off the bed and found my backpack, rummaging around until I found my flashlight. Pulling it out I heard something rattle and fall to the floor. I picked it up and clicked on the flashlight and read the label of my aspirin bottle. I had an awful thought and got a memory flash from Taomaru of forcing a handful of pills down Sesshomaru's throat and pinning him until they took effect. I groaned and felt cold inside, moving back to the bed and knocking my pack over in the process. I couldn't worry about it now; I had, quite possible, a dying dog demon on my hands.

I read the back of the bottle and found nothing helpful. 'In case of overdose, consult poison control or doctor immediately' did not apply in this time period. There was no other helpful information on the package and, in frustration, I threw the bottle into the depths of Sesshomaru's room. I kept calling Sesshomaru's name and slapping his cheeks lightly. I should never have taken the meds in front of Taomaru, never told him it would relieve the headache because I was pretty sure that in the youkai's mind what worked for me would work for Sesshomaru. In a way his logic had merit; however, there was a big difference between Sesshomaru and me beside gender- we were two different species. There was heavy warring to pet owners not to leave medication out where their pet could eat it. For animals, medicine like aspirin could cause things like kidney failure and liver damage and eventually death. I didn't know what it would do to a hanyou- or a youkai for that matter- but I hadn't wanted to risk Inu Yasha's life to find out. Now Sesshomaru was answering that question with an answer I didn't want to hear. 

God this was not happening! No! Calm down Kagome and think! I continued to try and wake him up, calling verbally and mentally while I thought through possibilities. All right- in the shape he was in before entering the room, Sesshomaru's body shouldn't have digested the aspirin yet. The thought was a hopeful one, but I wasn't happy about what I had to do. I rolled Sesshomaru over, pulling his hair back and making sure his head was over the edge of the bed. I opened his mouth and flexed my fingers, praying that he wouldn't bite my fingers off. "You owe me so bad, Fluffy." I muttered and stuck two fingers in his mouth, shoving them down his throat as far as they could go. The response was immediate and I got my fingers and hand out of the way just in time as Sesshomaru vomited the contents of his stomach. 

I looked away- hearing it was enough to make me want to join him. I kept a hand on his hair, wiped my wet fingers on the bed sheets and grabbed the flashlight. I had to make sure the pills were there and I could only do that by looking- the things I do in this time… I searched one of my jean pockets and found what I was looking for. I pulled out a thin hair tie and tied back Sesshomaru's long hair in a ponytail, rubbing his back in small circles as I trained the flashlight on the mess on the floor. I scrutinized the whole thing and could only identify five pills. Five; there had been three times that amount in Taomaru's had before he crammed them down Sesshomaru's throat. Hopefully, his body hadn't already broken down the others and turned them loose in his blood stream.

Err…! I was going to have to continue to get him to vomit until the other pills hit the floor. I sighed, feeling muscles flexed under my hand and I could feel Sesshomaru stirring in my head. I called out to him mentally, feeling him react and claw his way to the sound. His thoughts were murky- sleepy and uncoordinated- but one thought was clear and bright; to wake up. If he was awake he felt that he'd be able to heal himself even if it did mean suffering through his headache again. It was then that I realized that Sesshomaru could consciously direct his healing powers to heal a wound- the operated mostly on automatic but could also be taken control of and directed to specific tasks. The obvious question here was, why didn't Sesshomaru direct that power to get rid of his headaches? Answer: he couldn't concentrate long enough to do it. 

Broken healing powers or not, stirring demon or not, the aspirin had to come out of his system. I sighed, put the flashlight down, and crammed my fingers in his mouth to the point I had before. I wasn't as lucky this time and got a little on my hand, making me grimace and hold the hand far out over the floor and away from the bed. Gross; now I know how my mother must've felt every time I was sick and puking my guts into the toilet. I looked at the ceiling, continuously rubbing his back to relax the contracting muscles. In my time, they would pump a person's stomach to get all of the medicine out of his body- in this time though that wasn't available and this was the only way. Fluids would probably help. I was just going to drag the damn bag over so every thing was within easy reach- I had a hunch I was going to need it all.  _I'll be right back- don't fall and stay still. _

I used the bed sheet to clean off my hand- Yah; I was toast when Sesshomaru woke up completely. Nothing to be done about it now. I wiped all the liquid off and slid off the bed, tripping on a can and falling on my butt. I rubbed my tailbone with my clean hand and stood, sweeping the floor with my foot like a blind person sweeps the ground with their cane. _I should have brought the flashlight, I thought as I found my bag and put my arm through the strap. I returned to the bed, moving slowly and doing my foot sweep, and climbed back up. I sat the pack down, tipping it over so the contents fell out over the mattress. I picked up the flashlight and checked the floor below Sesshomaru, counting all the pills and doing the math; ten new pills had been added to the floor. _

Light was beginning to become an issue. Though the room's illumination remained the same, my eyes were having a hard time adjusting. I wanted the light brighter and wondered how to increase it. I blinked, squeezing my eyes then opening them, and began organizing my stuff now covering Sesshomaru's bed. Beside me the youkai shook his head and pushed back from the edge of the bed. He made a push up motion, trying to sit up I guess, and couldn't complete it. I wasn't surprised- vomiting was tiring; vomiting twice, being overdosed on aspirin, and having the worst migraine in history all in the space of a few hours was completely exhausting even for a youkai. 

I grabbed a water bottle and a towel from the piles on the bed and poured the liquid over the latter. I held the wet cloth in front of him so he could see it and he took it, wiping his mouth and tossing it aside. He rolled over onto his back and looked up at me. I grabbed a can of juice, opened it, and held it out to him. "It'll help." I said softly. He frowned at me, blinking repeatedly. He was fatigued and hated it- I could kill him right now and he'd never be able to stop me. It was the main reason he didn't accept the juice. 

"What happened?" His voice was small, not weak- just quieter than usual- and I knew he was pissed that he didn't sound normal. 

"Drink the juice and I'll tell you." I tried in a sing song voice. He was so angry, so tired and so vulnerable I was surprised he hadn't swiped at me with his claws- he had both hands now; I'd be sliced and diced within seconds.

He snarled at me, rising half up into a sitting position before falling back down onto the bed, frustrated. He panted and I knew he was tapping into the dregs of his energy. I arched a brow and began rubbing his tummy, concentrating my motions on the area the sorest muscles were. Sesshomaru liked it and hated me for it. Damned if you do, damned if you don't- such was my life. If he wouldn't drink, maybe he would eat. I grabbed some chocolate from the food pile and had to pause for a moment and rest. It was such a simple gesture and didn't require that much energy that I blinked in alarm. I blinked rapidly, feeling hot, and looked down at Sesshomaru.

"Ha," he said, lips curving into a cruel smile. "Now you can feel how I feel." 

"I already know how you feel!" I snapped and felt dizzy. That bastard! He was feeling so malicious and self-loathing that he was intentionally dragging me down with him. I sipped the juice and ate the chocolate and was able to push him out a bit- not completely, but enough to let me think. That only made him angrier and I smiled sweetly. "You should have drunk your juice." I said but offered him a free unopened can. He was tormenting me- he could open his own damn can. 

I sighed- even though Sesshomaru and I weren't getting along, he was still in trouble with that much aspirin. I opened the can for him- he couldn't pull the tab anyway- and handed it back, watching as he sat up and drank it. I handed him some chocolate and ate my own, watching his hesitant first sip of juice. He was surprised and inwardly I laughed. He frowned at me and handed me his drink, which I took in surprise, and picked up his chocolate. Through out it all he continued to use his left arm and this time I laughed out loud. 

He growled at me and snarled. "What?" He demanded angrily. 

"You have two hands- hold your own damn drink!" I said and thrust the can at him. He looked absolutely livid.

"Bitch! You dare jest-" I tapped his right arm before he could fully launch into his little tirade and he mercifully shut up. He sat there, wonder and amazement naked on his face, as he flexed his arm, clenching and unclenching his hand. "How?"

I pushed his can at him again and he took it. "How are you feeling?" I asked and felt the barrier that I was using to shield myself from him slip a notch. He felt like crap- not that he ever would admit it. I blinked, closing my eyes for a second to rest them and ignore Sesshomaru long enough to check on the others up top.

We weren't exactly being attacked, I noticed, gathering and analyzing the information I was getting from Inu Yasha and Taomaru. Our troops were basically providing cover fire as more reinforcements arrived, a scouting group of the Dark Army right on their heels. I had no doubt that the others could handle it, but… _Taomaru, why don't you shake things up a bit underneath the enemy?_

_I'd love to, Kagome, but I don't have that much directional capability. Huh, could have fooled me. I asked him if he wanted me to give it a try and he was willing. I warned him before I began, visualizing in my mind what I wanted to happen above and around us. I felt my power flare and-_

"What in the seven hells is going on?" Sesshomaru demanded, jolting me out of my thoughts and slaughtering my concentration. Instantly I heard a clamor of voices in my head, Taomaru, Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru all arguing at once and ordering the others to shut up, making my head hurt. I let them yell at each other, moving away from Sesshomaru on the bed while he argued with the other two. No, that didn't help either and Sesshomaru intentionally increased the volume, shouting to keep me from using my power. In the light I created, I saw my CD player and grabbed it- if I couldn't ignore them, I'd drown them out.


	8. And the world comes tumbling down

Legalities: I only own Taomaru. Everything else belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. 

    I don't own the song either. The song is 'A Thousand Miles.' By Vanessa Carlton and can be found on her album 'Be not no one (or no body. I'm not sure because it's not out yet.). If anyone has heard the song and knows the lyrics and notices that I've removed a part, don't flame me- it's intentional. I had to shorten it because if I didn't this scene would just take way too long. It's not a proper song fic and no, it's not meant to be. 

Chapter 7: And the world comes tumbling down…..

I slipped on the headphones, hitting the play button and holding the speakers against my ears. Piano notes flowed into my ears and I felt better. No, it wasn't instrumental music; this CD had been made by a friend of Sota's after he heard I was 'sick' in an effort to make me feel better. Most of it was songs in English and had taken me a while to translate, but had helped immensely in my English speaking skills. I sunk into the piano notes and distanced myself from the startled dog demons.

_Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I'm home bound_

_Staring blankly ahead, just making my way, making my way through the crowd…_

It was working, although now everyone was startled. I could hear Taomaru and Sesshomaru badgering Inu Yasha for an explanation. That was fine; they could bother him for a while.

_And I need you…_

_And I miss you…_

_And now I wonder…_

                I began singing the song as well and gathering my power again. "If I could fall, into the sky/ do you think time would pass me by? Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles…" I opened my eyes, not realizing I had shut them to concentrate, and looked out over the battle field in surprise. I was standing between Taomaru and Inu Yasha, watching the two tear stuff up. I frowned; this wasn't helpful- all they were doing were making a mess. "Man, you guys suck." I told them and they jumped, looking at me in surprise. 

_If I could just see you…_

_ Tonight._

                First things first; I raised my glowing hand, noticed the color wasn't the pure pink that if had been earlier, and pushed my power forward. A barrier formed about two hundred yards in front of us, outside the castle walls and continued around the entire castle. The youkai reinforcements were moving too fast to stop and hit the barrier, surprised that they could pass through. They paused and the ground beneath them rumbled. "Let's go you lot!" I yelled and faces turned in my direction. "If you stay there you're going to meet the same fate as the ones chasing you!"

_It's always times like these when I think of you and I wonder if you think of me…_

_Cause everything's so wrong, and I don't belong living in you precious memory…_

_                Inu Yasha stared at me and then glared at Taomaru and even through the song I could feel them arguing over something- something to do with my memory and something not working. I kept and ear on them for the hell of it and watched the dark Army slam into my barrier and get squashed._

                It was the first time a lot of our troops had ever seen any of the Dark Army's soldiers- some of the older youkai still remembered them vaguely. The soldiers were dark- dark skin, black armor, dark hair, etc. - and that very darkness hid most of their bodies from view except for their arms and legs and body shape. Spindly legs supported a heavy muscled body with oversized and elongated forearms- by the laws of physics the things shouldn't be able to move. They were well organized and after the initial slamming they began fanning out around my shield and pressing on different spots. I think they were trying to overstress it and make it collapse. I sighed in boredom- we didn't have time for this. 

I rolled my neck, rubbing my neck with both hands- it didn't matter trying to keep clean anymore; I planned on a _long bath after this. Inu Yasha looked at me, feeling my irritation despite my blocking._

 '_Cause I'll need you…_

                "What are you going to do?" He asked worriedly and I rolled my head to look at him. He seemed frightened- I'd have to ask him why later. Taomaru was also radiating wariness.

_And I'll miss you… _

_And now I wonder…_

                "You two are so going to tell me what's got you so riled after my bath." I sighed and stood normally again- the soldiers were now trying to climb up the barrier in the area they had fanned out over. There were too few of them to surround the shield completely so they were concentrating in one area to create a hole. It was a brilliant plan and normally I would have been concerned but, strangely, I wasn't concerned. It was as if there was a blanket between me and reality, or that I was just over confident. Looking at the enemy now, I found it hard to believe that they could send so many people running for cover. Let's see how intelligent they were… I wasn't tiring and could stand there all day.

                "You are on Dog Clan land." I shouted and they ignored me. "You have 10 seconds to retreat or you will be destroyed." The three dog demons in my head started. They were surprised I was giving such an order. Mentally I shrugged- this was war after all and these guys had caused untold death and destruction. Again, I could feel Taomaru and Inu Yasha arguing about something to do with last night and earlier this morning.  I began the countdown. "Ten."

                The youkai that had been trying to make it here were being helped through the gates and into the castle. Good. "Nine." 

_If I could fall, into the sky…_

_Do you think time, would pass me by?_

"Eight." The Dark Army soldiers continued on as if nothing were wrong. These guys were so dead. "Seven." 

'_Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles_

_If I could just see you…_

_ "Six." I debated just saying to hell with it and nailing them right there, but I decided to stick to my word. I had said ten seconds and I would wait ten seconds. In the mean time… I sent some of my power into the ground below them to investigate. "Five." ___

_Tonight._

_And I… I… Don't wanna let this go…_

"Four." I felt dread bubble through Taomaru and Inu Yasha, but neither tried to stop me.

_And I…I… Drown in you memory…_

"Three." Most of_ the soldiers continued to ignore me, but some of them were now looking my direction and looking at the ground. I stood there doing a Sesshomaru impression- I didn't care if they ran or stayed. "Two." ___

_And I don't wanna let this go... I… I... Don't…_

                "You are an enemy of the Dog Clan and shall be shown no mercy!" I stopped blocking Sesshomaru enough so he could look out on his land and see the enemy everyone was afraid of. "One." I said and the Dark Army's soldiers held stock still, waiting for a blow. For several seconds, nothing happened and they laughed and leered at me. I smiled cruelly in return and felt Sesshomaru smile as well as he sensed what I had planned. "No mercy." I whispered to myself.

_Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I'm homebound._

_Staring blankly ahead, just making my way, making my way, through the crowd…_

_And I still need you…_

_And I still miss you…_

_And now I wonder…_

_                A part of me pulled on Sesshomaru's and Taomaru's blood lust, calling it to me and wrapping it around myself. It was the ultimate high and pleasure raced through my system as I casually held out my hand, still glowing but now the light was more green and amber. Inu Yasha tried to grab me, shouting my name and hoping to stop me, fear plain on his face. His hand went right through me however and he could only stare in shock._

_If I could fall, into the sky…_

_Do you think time would pass me by?_

_'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you…_

_                I snapped my fingers, hearing all four of us gasp as Inu Yasha's power was pulled in as well. The e hanyou was with me as I lashed out with my magic._

_If I could fall, into the sky…_

_Do you think time, would pass us by?_

_'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles_

_If I could just see you…_

The ground beneath the soldiers exploded upward, cracking and fragmenting as if a giant hand had slammed it. The ground shook and bucked and the soldiers screamed in fear and pain as rocky chunks hit them. But I wasn't done- no, not by a long shot. The ground cracked further and a fiery torrent of lava erupted, flowing over the soldiers. Inu Yasha turned to me, jaw hanging open in horror.

_If I could just hold you…_

_Tonight._

Images, memories flashed between the two of us and I latched onto the chunk I was missing. I wanted some answers and I was going to get them. I pulled them to the surface as he tried to bury them and felt something crack in my head. Pain lanced through my body, but I ignored it as I had ignored Sesshomaru's headache in the beginning. I felt my memory of the missing night return, now unblocked and unaltered. I flashed through the lugging of Inu Yasha and the dogs through the well, what had happened with Sesshomaru and what happened at Keade's hut when an enraged Inu Yasha attacked me. I felt the impact and pain distantly, heard the crunch from it again. I flashed through Inu Yasha's memories and then Taomaru's and Sesshomaru's when I turned my attention to them. Now I had the whole story- the only one of us I think- and my brain stalled.

                In the silence that followed, Sango with Kirrara on her shoulder and Miroku beside her joined us, Shippo and Rin in tow. I heard barking and two familiar white shapes raced through the gates and came speeding toward us. I continued to stare at nothing, trying to figure out how I would respond. I should be angry, and I was, but it was like a banked fire, not ready to be used yet. I felt betrayed and used by everyone, but even those couldn't be summoned enough to make me respond. I felt numb and, strangely, that was okay. I could deal with numbness- it was a good place to be for now. I realized that there had been talking around me and the monk and exterminator were both looking at me strangely, Shippo radiating fear and Rin just curiosity. Socrates and Duchess whined and crawled on all fours toward me. 

                "Say something Kagome!" Inu Yasha pleaded, looking desperate. Taomaru stood silent, looking forlorn, but not apologetic. Even Sesshomaru was staying quiet and unobtrusive. 

                I said the first thing that popped into my head, looking down at the ground. I felt wetness on my cheek and brushed it away absently. I still felt the tear sliding down and looked at my hand. No wonder everyone was starring at me- I was transparent. I looked down the length of my body and saw that all of me was the same way. Well, one mystery solved. "I have to go see Sesshomaru." I said hollowly and everyone was startled, none more so than Sesshomaru himself. 

                "What? Why?" Inu Yasha demanded, getting angry. "Why the hell do you want to see Sesshomaru?" And I knew the hanyou felt hurt, but also alarmed with my lack of response other than to say I wanted to see his brother. 

                I waved a hand in Taomaru's direction absently and felt more tears slid down my cheeks. I brushed them away too and realized there was no liquid on my hand. I guess holograms, magical projections- whatever the hell I was- couldn't cry but maybe their bodies could. Great so now I was here and sitting next to Sesshomaru, and, to top it all off, I was crying. "Tao fed Fluffy too much aspirin. I have to stay close to make sure we don't end up with one dead dog demon." I said, my voice empty. Sesshomaru growled in my head at the fluffy comment. I heard Rin begin to cry and didn't care. I wanted to leave now, to back to the dark room even if Sesshomaru was pissed at me. I'd take my chances with him instead of standing here and dealing with Inu Yasha. 

                I closed my eyes and wished desperately to go to sleep and wake up in my time- somewhere far from these people I had considered friends. There was only one person I couldn't be angry with and he was perhaps the most dangerous. I had never trusted Sesshomaru so I couldn't feel betrayed. I couldn't be angry with him because Sesshomaru was simply Sesshomaru. I mean, I had no illusions of what someone with a name that literally meant 'the destroyer of the circle of life.' I could feel used; however, but even I wasn't surprised that Sesshomaru had used me- he was Sesshomaru. He used every body. So my safe haven from the others was the Great Demon of the Western Lands. The irony did not escape me as I returned to his den. 

                I blinked and let myself topple over, surprising Sesshomaru and whoever else had joined him on the bed. I didn't bother to get up- I figured I had a grace period after having my world turned upside down and inside out. I could hear my CD player still playing- a love song I think- but didn't pay it any attention. I still felt numb, still felt tears fall, and didn't move. I felt the new person move and watched them move into my line of sight. Jaken stood a few feet before me, holding his staff in one hand and my camcorder in the other. The little red light was on and I realized he was recording me. "What are you doing with that?" I asked stupidly. "And where have you been all this time?" That was something I wanted answered- usually Jaken was inseparable from Sesshomaru but he had been missing for the past day or so. I hadn't seen him since when I met the other lords earlier.

                "I have been proving you a fraud with your own magic!" He cried triumphantly and my ears hurt. The red light stayed on and I understood what he meant by magic- all the stuff I had brought with me from the future. I sighed and ignored him. "Whatever, toad." I rolled onto my back, pulling myself up into a sitting position. I saw Sesshomaru and looked at him emptily. He and I were mirroring each other, facing the other as we both sat in the same position. I looked him over critically, really scrutinizing him this time. 

                "What are you looking at?" He humped and it was an odd question. Not because of what he was asking but the _way he asked it. It was a more modern version of speech-even the syllable stress'- and I wondered if he was picking up colloquialisms from me as I was adopting his empty expression. I tossed him a nearby spare chocolate bar._

                "Eat that." I said, and began gathering up my stuff again. I needed a bath and, though Sesshomaru had his not far away, I did not want to be near anyone right now. I grabbed the camcorder from Jaken and turned it off while he squawked in surprise. I shoved everything back into my back pack, grabbing the flashlight and shining it over the bed and the two demons. Sesshomaru had not picked up the chocolate bar and that was okay. When I'd been looking him over I'd been trying to guess his weight. I was estimating that the pale youkai was 190-200 lbs. in weight. Dogs could take more aspirin than humans and the calculation for it was something like, 1 pill per every 30-32 lbs of weight. I knew that I had made Sesshomaru vomit most of them up and he seemed fine now so I supposed he was fine. Now that the danger was over, I didn't feel guilty as I slid off the bed and continued to pick my stuff up.

                "Kagome, why were you so concerned with my health? I am a youkai- we do not die easily." Sesshomaru said in a silky yet curious voice. He had spoken aloud, picking up my need for mental silence accurately. I could sense Inu Yasha inside the castle, heading down as fast as he could to Sesshomaru's room. Time to go!

                "Promised Rin." I muttered and stood, heading out the door. I ran into a servant and grabbed hold of her as she started to bow. "Don't bow! Where is a room with a bath?" She indicated down the hall and I propelled her in that direction, motioning for her to show me. I slipped inside the more human sized room just as Inu Yasha came barreling down the hall. I took hold of the girl and looked her full in the face until she whimpered from whatever she saw there. "I am not to be disturbed. Period. Do not tell anyone I am here and have someone get a bucket of water and a mop. Sesshomaru's room needs to be cleaned, the floor scrubbed and the bed changed. He is not to be pestered either." She nodded rapidly and scurried out the door, shutting it behind her. I sighed, feeling my shoulders sag. Now that I was by myself I had nothing to distract me from my pain and it lapped at me from every corner of my mind. I went brought my bag with me into the bathroom, laying out clothes and my bathing supplies. 

                I stripped, tossing the dirty clothing in a careless pile and sank into the hot spring gratefully. I began scrubbing, paying no attention to my movements. My thoughts chased each other, round and round like a dog demon chasing its tail. Even that thought couldn't make me laugh- in fact it started my tears. The salty liquid dropped into the water and I didn't bother to stop them. I had been used, manipulated and exploited. Though each Dog Clan youkai had had a different and, in two cases, a very good reason… in the end I was just a weapon or a tool to be used at someone's whim. 

                Sesshomaru had used me to protect his kingdom and people. It was underhanded, but I could understand it- it was Sesshomaru after all. Taomaru had used me for the same purpose, but to also protect his nephews now that he was awake and could do something about the danger they were in. Again, I could understand it, but his betrayal of my trust had hurt when Sesshomaru's had only made me angry; family first and all that, but to wipe my memory to make me a better weapon... that had hurt. The final twist of the dagger was from my traveling companions: Sango, Miroku, Shippo and last but not least Inu Yasha. I was just a shard detector after all. Those four had turned on me in the drop of a hat; Inu Yasha's sense of betrayal so much that attacking me had been the only avenue for his anger. He had felt I betrayed him, betrayed his trust- this coming from the one who turned to a pudding of indecision when ever Kikyo popped up. 

                He had betrayed me- multiple times- and every time I had pushed my anger aside and stayed by him. Every god damn fucking time I had come back to him with a smile and every time he had stabbed me in the back with Kikyo, the other me. I sometimes wanted to scream and yell at him but I had never wanted to attack him, then again, that could have changed if he came home and told me he'd knocked some girl up. My gentle scent inspiring him was all bull shit and I'd been stupid enough to swallow it. I felt like a fool and wanted to go home but that brought up another problem. Inu Yasha and I still had to find all the Shikon shards, had to put the Jewel of Four Souls back together, before we were free of each other. It was a daunting task to say the least, more so with this recent hurdle. I didn't know what I was going to do about that; I didn't want to see any of them let alone travel for weeks on end with them over hill and dale.

                I sensed and then heard Inu Yasha run down the hall and shove the door aside. He yelled my name, but already knew where I was so it was pointless. I felt my muscles tighten in my back and before he could come into the bathroom I screamed the magic word. "SIT!" I heard him slam into the floor. What thoughts I couldn't block out were disjointed, revolving around making me understand that he was sorry and he loved me. I brushed my tears away, annoyed and sat him again when he rose. I felt my magic flare and directed it on one thought: to make Inu Yasha get away from me. I knew Inu Yasha felt it by his mental alarm. _Get out, I though to him. __Get out and stay the fuck away from me or I will kill you where you stand. I meant it and he knew I meant it. He stood up anyway and took a step toward the bathroom, immediately hitting a blast of magic that hurled him out the door and into the hallway. The force was so much that it slammed the door behind him and, with a thought, I locked it. I sank into the warm water, feeling cold inside, crying and sometimes screaming my anger and sadness, not caring who heard me. For this moment, I wanted some time to myself and I would spend it any freaking way I wanted. I cried, huddled in the hot water, and wallowed in self pity._

                Inu Yasha climbed to his feet, ready to bust the door open and be thrown out a hundred times if necessary. He needed to talk to Kagome, had to apologize and tell her he loved her, that he had chosen her. One look at the door negated that however; the thing glowed, lighting up the hallway, and crackled with energy. As he approached it again, a stream of that energy leapt away and shocked him painfully, making his hair stand on end. This was childish of her and the hanyou was getting angry. He unsheathed Tetsusaiga, ready to destroy the door with its mighty blade. 

                He was stopped by the arrival of Sango, Shippo and Miroku- that and the blade refused to transform into a mighty blade, staying in its rusty twig form. "What the hell?" Inu Yasha snarled, looking at the sword, shaking it as if that would make it change. 

                "She won't see you?" Sango asked, eyeing the door. 

                "I don't lady Kagome will see anyone." Miroku remarked, staying away from the door after looking at Inu Yasha's spiky hair. 

                "She's really angry." Shippo said, afraid. "Do you think she'll ever talk to us again?"

                "That is doubtful." Said a calm voice from behind and the three looked in that direction to see Sesshomaru coming down the hallway. The youkai had just finished his bath and had followed the noise after startling the servants cleaning his room. The youkai had been surprised too; he hadn't called them but was pleased they were doing their job. He rubbed a towel against his damp hair, looking freshly scrubbed and clean. Armor-less, he was in a new kimono, less decorative and made of softer cloth. The pale youkai looked oddly relaxed and friendly, something that set the others on edge. "She is angry and disgusted with all of you and Taomaru. The only one she seems not to be angry with is me."

                "Shove it Sesshomaru!" Inu Yasha growled as he looked at the door, wondering how to break through it. The hanyou kept an ear on his brother just in case. "Sango, do you think you're boomerang will break through this door?"

                Sango frowned. "Inu Yasha it would probably be best if you let Kagome be alone for a while and let her come out on her own." 

                Beside her Miroku nodded. "It would be the wisest course of action."

                Shippo looked at Sesshomaru. "Why do you think Kagome isn't angry with you?"

                Sesshomaru started towel drying his tail. He glanced at the kitsune in surprise, the emotion plain as day. "I should think that would be obvious: she doesn't trust me." At the blank look her received, the dog demon sighed. "Kagome trusted all of you and you betrayed that trust, disowning her when you thought she had been unfaithful to Inu Yasha even though she ahs every right to do so. Kagome didn't trust me and still doesn't, though she now trusts me more than she did."

                "Kagome trusts you now?" Inu Yasha said doubtfully, looking at his brother as if the latter had lost his mind; Kagome trusting Sesshomaru more than himself- surely not.

                "More than she trusts _you now." Sesshomaru stated seriously. "In truth, I doubt she will trust anyone again for a long time. She wants to go home," The youkai frowned with confusion at the images he got from the girl. "And she knows she can't because she said she would help me. And she still has to collect al the Shikon shards." _

                The hanyou had forgotten about the jewel in all the excitement and preparation over the war. Everyone had, for that matter and they were relieved in a small way- they still had to travel together so they'd get a chance to gain Kagome's trust again.  

                "It's not going to be that easy." Sesshomaru warned, pausing in his motions. In all honesty, the youkai was disgusted with the new hope stirring in the idiots around him. They thought they could gain her trust again and the youkai knew otherwise, being directly linked to Kagome. The girl was still keeping her emotions in check and listening to music to block himself, Inu Yasha and Taomaru from her mind. The music drowned out formed thoughts but couldn't completely prevent snippets of feeling from escaping. Sesshomaru didn't know if Inu Yasha was ignoring or simply not picking up on the informative emotions from Kagome- the hanyou was being to stupid and dismissive. Disgusted, Sesshomaru moved toward the door. "Go feed yourselves or something." He said dismissively, and put a hand on the glowing door. It continued to glow but swung inward, unlocking itself and admitting Sesshomaru inside while the others stared. When they tried to follow after him the barrier reactivated and barred their way. Inu Yasha could only watch as the door began to shut, catching a glimpse of Kagome sitting on a bed, pouring over books and making notes while she listened to her CD player. The hanyou threw himself against the barrier and was promptly chucked into the opposite wall, the door shutting firmly in front of him.

Pennath:

Yah, yah. I know the song is a bit out of place but give me a chance to explain. When I wrote this scene I had just heard the song and it gave me the impression of someone being separated from another or someone going away. That and the merry tune of the song contrasted sharply to what was happening to Kagome. For obvious reasons, there will be problems later for between Inu and Kagome. 

I will continue to post on Monday but if anyone sends me email, etc, I will warn you now that I probably won't answer for a few days. ::points to a pile of books at her feet::: And here's why: I have a test in every class next week and that means that I will be studying all of this week. I'll hop on and off as usual to check reviews and such so please, Please!, review and give me some encouragement!! ::looks at the books, looks at the reader::: God, please review. I need all the help I can get. ::hangs head:: please do write me though. I promise I'll reply when I can.


	9. Release

Legal: I own Taomaru- no body else yet.

Note: I forgot to say this earlier; I am from the school of thought that when it comes to magic and describing it, less is more. I deliberately write the magic scenes hazy because sometimes magic can't be completely explained. ::shrugs:: I always think it takes the fun out of magic if you describe it to the tiniest detail anyway. If you know how it works, what fun is it anymore?

Chapter 8: Release

I had finished my bath and hadn't felt much better. I was all cried out for now and that was okay; crying never accomplished anything anyway. The red lines that had covered my right arm were gone, had faded away to where ever they had come from- fine with me. I felt weak, shocky, my eyes, ears, and skin hypersensitive to the fine line dividing pain from none. I had had to pull out new pajamas- the ones I had pulled out were to harsh against my tingling skin. As a result, I was wearing a nightgown and had to wander around in low light. Despite feeling bizarre I had the overwhelming desire to do something. To do something that related to me, Kagome, and not to any one from this time. I could cook but I needed a kitchen and if I went to the kitchen I would get no peace. I eyed my bag- what I needed was to do something that would end this war and let me the hell out of here. 

I tossed the giant pack on the bed, almost falling over from the effort and joined it myself. I was glad the room wasn't dusty- I didn't know how to get someone to clean it and didn't want to do it myself. I pulled out my textbooks and notebooks, found a pen and put on my headphones. I started with my history book, looking through every battle I could find. I started making notes about the strategies used, defenses and offenses, marking if they were successful, where they were from and the aftermath. I had to stop after a while and arrange my other books around me within easy reach. I started doodling battle plans and placements off lamps, soldiers and weapons. I had five hundred years on everyone here and books that covered almost every major advancement in the world- if I couldn't figure out a winning strategy out of everyone here, then we were screwed.

                I played music while I worked, blocking the dog demons from my head and bothering me. I think I would have screamed if Inu Yasha had suddenly popped into my head confessing his love for me and that he was sorry. Screamed and, quite possibly killed him on the spot. I ran a hand through my head, snagging my fingers on several tangles in the damp mass. I hadn't bothered to dry it much, or brush it for that matter, but I had tied it back in a sloppy bun to keep it out of my face. Now I wished I had taken the time to braid it or something- combing the snarls out was going to be murder. Well, a couple more pages and I'd rest to brush it out. I munched potato chips while I continued to work. I had my biology, physics, world history, and Japanese history books open with accompanying note books spread about by the time I paused. I yawned, stretching, and felt sleepy but I still had a bit to go- I wasn't even halfway through my history books. I hunted for my brush- how long had I been doing this?

                My brush had semi-firm bristles and was good at getting out tangles. I started from the bottom making my way upward. I closed my eyes as I worked, didn't need to see anyway, and wondered about what to do with the Shikon shards. My magical abilities came partial from the damn thing- maybe there was a way to call the shards to me. After all, it had rested snugly inside me for seventeen years- surely there had to be a way to make them come back. Sadly, I didn't know how to do it. I could purify the shards of evil energy but that didn't mean much if I couldn't find any. I felt my shoulders slump and my head fall forward; man even after everything that had happened I couldn't get a break. I rubbed my eyes and felt like crying again. 

                A hand touched my shoulder and I jumped three feet in the air, dropping my brush and letting out a shriek that made me cover my own ears. I hit the bed and strong arms scooped me up, pinning me against a broad chest. Panic blossomed inside me and I started fighting, screaming mentally and verbally. I was pushed away and I crossed the bed in seconds. I picked up one of my books, ready to pitch it at my attacker until I saw who it was. Hell, when I saw who it was I still debated chucking it at him. "Sesshomaru," I looked at the closed door. "How did you get in?"

                The dog demon had his hands over his ears, his tail wrapped around himself. He looked so pathetic and unhappy I set the book down and crawled a few feet toward him. He looked different aside from his clothing and lack of armor, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe it wasn't a physical mark but something was differently new about the dog demon. I pulled off my headphones and reached out a wary hand to touch his arm. He blinked, lowered his hands and tail, and frowned. "Screaming is not a way to greet someone."

                "It is if you scare the hell out of me." I retorted and pulled my hand back, sitting on my knees and sighing. Damn- after the adrenaline rush Sesshomaru had caused, I was feeling pretty beat. "What do you want, Sesshomaru?" I asked tiredly. 

                "I actually came to see how you were fairing." He replied and I couldn't keep the surprise off my face. He cocked his head and gave me a lopsided smile. I had to rub my eyes and he immediately asked what was wrong.

                "I think I'm hallucinating." I said, blinking and rubbing. "I could have sworn you smiled."

                "I did smile." He said quietly and looked uncomfortable. 

                I frowned. "No games please Sesshomaru. I am…" I couldn't say fine because I wasn't fine. "I'm still useable." I said with a note of bitterness on the last. I looked at the bed, littered with my stuff. 

                "Useable?" I heard him ask and I didn't bother to respond- he was intelligent enough; he'd figure it out. I saw his tail snake around me, circling my waist and lifting upward. I yipped in surprise and a heartbeat later I was in Sesshomaru's lap. I tensed, sitting ramrod straight as his arms held me close and his chin settled on my head. He was warm and offering comfort and radiated understanding. I tried to pull away- it was just too creepy, too soon after my sense of reality had been scrambled. He held me firm however, wrapping his tail around us both.

                "Don't do this to me!" I begged, still trying to get away. "Please don't play with me right now!" I couldn't deal with this and not cry. Small tears ran down my cheeks and I slumped against the dog demon, eyes closed, miserable. "Please let me go. Please don't use me any more…" I sobbed and I felt him move his head from the top of mine to my shoulder. He didn't say anything, didn't budge. I tried a more potent avenue, calling my magic to make him let me go. With no music to buffer and crappy blocking on my part, Sesshomaru felt what was going on and he bit me.

                His teeth didn't break the skin of my neck but they did apply enough pressure to make my heart skip a beat. He growled warningly and I stopped trying to gather my magic. After a few seconds, Sesshomaru let go but didn't move from the spot. He stayed put, his breath tickling my neck and scattering my thoughts. I had never been held like this in reality, had never been so aware of a guy before. I froze and couldn't make my body move, feeling my heart beat faster and needing more air. 

                "What were you doing when I scared you?" He asked and my skin rose in goose bumps. I knew he was enjoying my reaction, enjoying the way he could scramble my circuits, but it surprisingly, he wasn't being malicious. Through the link we shared- which I had initiated accidentally- I knew that Sesshomaru was more relaxed with himself when he was around being me. The youkai was in the mood, so to speak, but at the moment just wanted someone to cuddle with. Eep; Sesshomaru wanting to cuddle was a scary thought. I tried to think about why this sudden shift in personality had happened as Sesshomaru leaned to one side- bringing me with him- and picked something off the bed. He removed his head from my neck and I saw the object he had picked up just as he popped it in his mouth. I blinked and realization crashed around me.

                I flashed on the chocolate bar I had made him eat before the skirmish up top began. Chocolate- chocolate was making him act this way. "I am so stupid!" I said and would have smacked my head if my hands hadn't been pinned. It was so obvious that I did indeed feel very stupid. The aspirin Sesshomaru had swallowed had thinned his blood to decrease its flow to his head and end the pain of the migraine from hell. After the scare of overdosing was out of the way and the excess aspirin purged from his system, I had made him eat chocolate and drink juice- both of which would provide quick energy for his body to repair itself. The juice had done what it was supposed to but the chocolate had apparently had a side effect. The candy was toxic in normal dogs but wasn't making the youkai sick. Instead, his body was reacting like a human's- including the endorphin rush that accompanied consuming it. Endorphins were the body's natural opiates, a natural high that would be released when a person was in love and could be replicated by eating large quantities of chocolate. With his blood thinned, Sesshomaru was enjoying a very good, very amorous high and guess who he wanted to snuggle with.

                "What is it?" Sesshomaru asked, loosening his hold enough to rub my arms soothingly. Now that I knew why, I didn't feel so threatened by him but that was killed by another thought; how would he react if I told him what he was feeling was synthetic? I shielded my thoughts from him as I thought this over. On one hand I could tell him and deal with the aftermath-after all, it couldn't possibly be that bad- or I could choose not to tell him and simply make sure he didn't eat anymore sweets. I sighed unhappily; I decided to tell him, it wouldn't be fair not to. 

                "Sesshomaru, how you are feeling is a result from the chocolate you ate. In its weakened state, your body is reacting to the candy like a human's would. I'm sorry." I said, defeated, and prepared for any retaliation. I was the only one I knew of that had such rotten luck with men. I was beginning to be quite glad I had gotten in a fight with the Hojo worshipers- at least I had one guy left. Thinking of Hojo helped me as much as thinking about Inu Yasha had; I felt sad and depressed and just wanted to go home. I sagged, letting my guard down and an opening for any revenge by Sesshomaru- maybe I'd get lucky and he'd put me out of my misery. My eyes prickled and I blinked rapidly, fighting a sob until it only came out as a hitching sound. A weight settled on my chest and I sniffled.

His tail unwound, curling up beside me in a fluffy heap. I kept my eyes on the maps and notes I had made, watching the images blurred and wavered. I sniffed again and squeezed my eyes. I would not cry, I would _not cry dammit! I swore a blue streak mentally as I felt the first few tears fall. I was supposed to be cried out by now- I had cried through my bath, I didn't want to die during my death. I felt Sesshomaru remove his arms, move away from me, and I didn't move except to hunch a little and make myself smaller. I closed my eyes, screwing them shut and bit my lip, trying to be quiet. I drew my knees up, curling my arms around them. I didn't want to see anything, didn't want to see anyone. _

I cracked an eye open and spotted my notebook. I pushed it with my foot so Sesshomaru would notice it. _That's what I was doing before you scared me, I didn't trust my voice- it would probably break or I'd sob or something. __It's__ possible battle strategies that you might want to look at. I haven't had a good view of the entire castle so I could only make placement circles. Everything's labeled and easy to read. I heard the notebook being picked up, heard the pages being ruffled, and felt Sesshomaru's surprise that I had been doing something so productive and helpful. __I'm a weapon, remember? I'm supposed to do things like this. I felt tired and wished that he would either kill me or leave; if it was the latter then I could cry again in peace- if it was death then I wouldn't worry about it. _

It was comforting being in a ball, a physical position that reminded me of safety and of being home. I wished now that I had left a longer note for everyone back there, wished that I had at least been able to see them one last time beside the past week of missing each other. I shouldn't have brought dad's stuff here, should've left it with mom so she could have enjoyed it more and 'reminisced.' I smiled at that and wondered if Inu Yasha would bring it all back to her when he had a free moment. I wondered if Sesshomaru would simply destroy it al when he was through with me and what archeologists would say when they found motorcycle parts from the 1970's among the remains of a 1400 castle. That would be funny to see, their expressions as they tried to figure it out. 

_You are too emotional to be a weapon. Sesshomaru sent to me and I smiled bitterly into my knees._

_Go get Taomaru to fuck with my memory again.  I said tiredly. __I have every right to be emotional, so screw you. __ You want a better weapon, go get someone who hasn't had a shitty day. God, I hated myself, so mired in self pity that the prospect of having my memories played with didn't frighten me anymore. I sniffled and spared a hand to rub my forehead- I had a headache again. I slammed my barriers in place and hid behind them- no reason for all of us to be miserable, was there? I felt the futon shift under Sesshomaru's weight as he moved closer to me. He sat nearby, his body heat warming my side. __Get it over with Sesshomaru. I said emptily. _

_If my lady so desires. He said, his tone giving no emotion away with his reply and I tensed, hunching tighter. I tried to stay quiet, feeling my shoulders shake and my diaphragm hiccup. I thought I did really well; only my breathing gave away any sound, just little hiccup sounds. It'd be over soon, if not completely then partially. I thought of my dad and wondered if I'd be able to see him again. I hoped my family wouldn't be sad- maybe the lack of seeing each other would prove a blessing. _

_Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I'm home bound_

_Staring blankly ahead, just making my way, making my way, through the crowd._

I stopped hiding my tears, letting them fall freely as I starred out at the room, not really seeing it. I thought of all that I had gone through, not just the recent events, but all the things my traveling companions and I had gone through; solving the mystery of Naraku and our endless hunt for him as well as the shards. Of the times we laughed and defended each other. 

_And I still need you…_

 I thought of Inu Yasha, the day I had fallen through the well and into this nightmare. I remembered the softness of his ears when I played with them, unable to stop myself from fondling the fuzzy triangles. He had looked so cute when asleep, so innocent and very different from how he acted when I set him free.

_And I still miss you…_

I thought about how we had acted toward each other before and after Kikyo had been resurrected. I sifted through my memories of that endless week after he had pushed me through the well and had tried to destroy it afterward, of wondering if he was okay and then coming back and having that concern thrown back in my face.

_And now I wonder…_

I saw him kiss Kikyo and start to sink into the earth with the bitch after she enchanted him so he couldn't see me pinned to a nearby tree, unable to move. I remembered screaming at him and then the hanyou waking up, Kikyo's spell broken by my magic. 

_If I could fall, into the sky…_

_Do you think time, would pass us by?_

I felt my eyes flutter, the lids becoming too heavy to keep open. I still cried but no sound escaped my lips. What would my life have been like if I had never gone near the Bone Eater's well? If I had never met Inu Yasha?

_'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles…_

I saw the foyer upstairs through Taomaru's eye as he stood beside Inu Yasha and the others. They were all glaring at Jaken, the toad glaring back but demanding they get 'the scheming wench' away from Lord Sesshomaru.

_If I could just see you…___

 I looked through Inu Yasha's eyes, looking emptily at the toad and not caring. He was thinking about me, about how stupid he had been all this time and also hoping I was alright with Sesshomaru nearby. 

_If I could just hold you…_

Finally, I saw through Sesshomaru's eyes, saw the huddled figure Kagome Higirahi had become- what I had become. I felt his high, how good he was feeling, and saw my lips form a brief smile as some of his mood passed to me. He was blocking his emotions and thoughts from me but I could still feel his body move, feel it when he raised his left hand in preparation to strike. He was really going to lash out at me, really going to use those claws and tear me apart. I prayed he would knock me out first or kill me with the initial blow.

I drew a shaky breath as I came back to my body, to being the poor abused weapon used to further everyone else's power but my own. I sobbed once and distantly, through the link we shared, felt Sesshomaru let his hand swing forward even as it stuck the back of my neck. A brief flash of pain and the sensation of falling to one side before my eyes closed and I felt no more. It was everything I had asked for.

_Tonight…_

Sesshomaru slid off the bed, taking the notebook with him. He left the room and its occupant, shutting the door and heading for the castle proper. Kagome had done a poor job- if she had tried at all, which the demon lord doubted- of blocking her thoughts from him. He had felt everything she had as she relived her memories, now felt the dark taint of betrayal she had as she reviewed each one. She had had no fear in her, none at all, when she had sat there awaiting his wrath; just a hope that maybe he would end her pain and Sesshomaru had followed through with her request, feeling the brief sense of relief before her mind fell quiet and her body fell into his lap. 

Though he'd never admit to anyone, the memories of her family had touched a nerve in Sesshomaru. The youkai had had to grow up very fast when his father had refused to protect his kingdom until he was ready. As a result, Sesshomaru had cut himself off from his emotions but also from the needs that all children need filled. Aside from Jaken, and now Rin, Sesshomaru had been alone. He had never had a meaningful relationship, had never had someone he could confide in or simply cuddle with who accepted him as Sesshomaru and not as Great Demon of the Western Lands. He had decided long ago that those holes wouldn't be filled and so had dismissed them as an unattainable, unnecessary desire. 

But Kagome had awakened those needs, first in the woods when he had run into her as she struggled to the village, then when she had agreed to help inside that old miko's hut. It had begun to congeal into something solid as the youkai watched Inu Yasha deny Kagome the respect and treatment she deserved. When his brother had attacked Kagome and injured her gravely, Sesshomaru had felt a strong urge to protect her and that was why he had picked her off of the floor, holding her in his lap as he sent his healing power into her to repair her body. Even wounded, both physically and emotionally, Kagome's fighting spirit had shone bright. Sesshomaru had been glad he had not been on the receiving end of her anger when she had explained about the bruise on her belly. Yes, Kagome's willful spirit had been present in every encounter she and the dog demon had except the one he was walking from. Sesshomaru refused to acknowledge the thing in the room as Kagome; she had been a vibrant thing, not that pathetic shell of a creature now lying prone in his old room.

He reached the last hallway and glanced down at the notebook, at the same time noticing he had blood on his claws. He frowned unhappily; nothing he could do about it now. Sesshomaru walked into the castle, heading toward the group of humans, his brother and his uncle. He spotted the three visiting lords and frowned again; it did not escape his eyes that they were plotting behind his back. _A takeover, I bet. _

Inu Yasha looked up at him first, sniffing the air in alarm. The hanyou's jaw dropped, his eyes on Sesshomaru's bloody hand. The others followed his gaze and all of them looked pensive and angry. Taomaru also looked at his nephew in surprise and disappointment. Last of all Jaken turned around, eyes of adoration falling on his Lord. "Sesshomaru-sama!" The youkai wailed happily and ran over to hug the dog demon's leg. With a small sigh, Sesshomaru patted Jaken's head and pried him off his leg. Beaming, the toad youkai was content to trot smugly beside his master's side.

"You didn't," Inu Yasha said in horror. "You couldn't have!"

"Isn't that one of Lady Kagome's notebooks?" Miroku asked, eyes narrowed at the pale youkai.

"Where's Kagome?" Sango demanded, hoping that everyone was just over reacting. Beside her, the two bundles of fur that Kagome had brought with her whined and Sango's own pet youkai Kirara mewed. 

"I can't feel her anymore." Taomaru said in a subdued voice, his eye pale grey. "I can't feel you two either." He looked at Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha. "She's missing in hear." He touched his temple lightly and everyone else simply stared at him, not understanding, not wanting too. 

"No!" Inu Yasha yelled and the lords on the other side of the room turned to listen. "Where is she, Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru was annoyed. He was loosing control of things rapidly and he couldn't afford that. Even though the Demon Lord was dressed in lighter clothing, he was still a formidable opponent; it was plain that he had reclaimed usage of his right arm and the poison claws that came with the limb. He reached the group and stared at Inu Yasha with empty eyes; a clear message to shut up because Sesshomaru was at his most dangerous. Inu Yasha lunged at his brother but Taomaru grabbed him and pinned him down while Inu Yasha kicked and roared. When the hanyou failed, Miroku and Sango charged for an attack but Taomaru grabbed them too. While his uncle dealt with the three, Jaken and Sesshomaru met with the amused lords. 

The three dropped to their knees, heads bowed. "Great Lord Sesshomaru," Lord Baskama began and Sesshomaru didn't miss that the man was now addressing him with the appropriate title. "It is good to know that you are well." The pale youkai arched an eyebrow at that.

Lord Shumir explained. "Great Lord, when we did not see you on the battle field, we worried that your half brother may have caused you harm in some way. We kept a contingent of guards on him and the humans until word came that you were well." _Meaning, Sesshomaru though in disgust__, that if I were dead they would kill Inu Yasha and anyone loyal to the Dog clan so one of these imbeciles could take over the Western Lands._

The last lord spoke up to continue the ass kissing. "We are relieved that you have come to no harm and overjoyed that you have regained your right arm!" Lord Kimitsu sputtered. _I bet, Sesshomaru thought and suppressed a sneer. After Kagome's little display, they had better grovel before their lord._

"Come," Sesshomaru gestured toward the stairwell. "We have much to do in preparation. The Dark Army will be here in a day or two and as we are, will be destroyed." Without another word, Sesshomaru turned on his heel and led them to the map room on the second floor. Using Kagome's plans as a blue print, everything was set in place and readied. The only major obstacle was that none of them knew how to operate the modern items. Sesshomaru assured them that all would be taken care of and had gone off to talk to the soldiers, grouping them in the arrangements Kagome had marked down. The new arrivals were seen to, fed and briefed for battle. Among the rabble, Sesshomaru spotted a wolf youkai who he didn't know. One look at the boy and Sesshomaru dismissed him from his mind, too preoccupied with planning to really evaluate the wolf youkai accurately. It was something that would come back to haunt the dog demon.

Pennath here!  

Okay, so I'm posting a bit early but it was that or post late. Since everyone seems to really want the chapter out on time I decided to do this early- I won't be able to do it Monday because my tests start tomorrow. ::cringes and looks for hiding place:: Anyway, please keep reviewing and if you don't understand something please contact me and I will happily explain it to you.

 Well, I hope everyone has a wonderful week and I will see you next Monday. Please don't flame me about this chapter, it will all be explained later. (Remember the note I posted why back when at the beginning of this Part?)


	10. Irritations

Legal: I own Taomaru. If I owned everyone, I wouldn't be hiding from my college classes.

Chapter 9: Irritations

As people scurried about, Sesshomaru kept an eye out for an attack by Inu Yasha or the rest of his friends but it never came. Taomaru, Inu Yasha and the two humans had vanished amidst the organized chaos that the castle grounds had become- seemingly into thin air. Sesshomaru frowned, having a good idea where they had gone and wondering what kind of retaliation to expect. Assured that all instructions and tactics were being followed, he went to go hunt down his brother and meddling human friends.

He disappeared into the tunnels as fast as only a dog demon could go, transforming into his full youkai form and running flat out. The twisting hallways did nothing to slow him down and within moments Sesshomaru was in his wing of tunnels, trotting past his now clean room and then trotting further down the long passageway, coming to a stop outside his old room. As he had thought, Inu Yasha and company were inside looking down at the unmoving girl. The doors had been thrown wide open and Sesshomaru couldn't help but snort in disgust at his brother's carelessness as he walked inside. Eyes filled with hate looked at Sesshomaru, the desire to cause sever bodily harm to the youkai was evident as he shrank to his humanoid form. 

The room had been his long ago before his mother had died. It was big by human standards and just the right size for a dog demon child. After Lady Kitori died, Sesshomaru had moved into her room in an effort to still feel close to the woman he missed so much. It had surprised Sesshomaru greatly when Kagome had taken over this room a few hours ago. He crossed the room and leapt gracefully onto the bed, finding himself suddenly barred by Sango's bone boomerang and Inu Yasha's Tetesusagia.

"Get away from her." Inu Yasha ordered, his voice tight and low. The hanyou shook with anger and Sesshomaru, for once, did as he was told. 

"You killed her." Sango said, tears falling from her eyes. "She came here to help you and you killed her." The monk beside the exterminator was ready to unseal his Air Rip and suck Sesshomaru up. 

"No," Sesshomaru said patiently. "I killed what she had become." He looked at the bed and at Kagome's unmoving form. 

Taomaru snarled wordlessly then spoke. "Stop playing with them, Sesshomaru. It's cruel even for you." As the others looked at him in surprise, Taomaru just stared stonily at the headboard.  Sesshomaru frowned.

"If you would move…?" He prodded and Sango and Miroku moved warily aside. Inu Yasha however, stood resolutely in his brother's path until Taomaru used his dark tail like a hook and jerked the hanyou out of the way.

Sesshomaru shrugged, his own anger making his tail fluff further. He reached Kagome, pulling her body into his lap and propping her in a sitting position as he checked her neck. _Damn, he thought. He hadn't realized she had bled so much after his claws had nicked her skin. There was an easy way to stop that and Sesshomaru lowered his head to the cut on Kagome's neck, lapping the liquid up in slow strokes, his eyes on Inu Yasha the entire time. The youkai was baiting the hanyou and both of them knew it. Sesshomaru licked his lips, moving from her neck to her temple, laying a soft kiss on her skin while sending her a wake up call. __Wake up, little one. Kagome's eyes fluttered but did not open. This did not trouble Sesshomaru; he hadn't expected her to actually wake up, just to move and prove she still lived. She took a deep breath and breathed in an even rhythm, a very obvious change from the still body a few seconds ago. The youkai rubbed her arms lightly and tickled her face with his tail until she batted at it and grumbled. ___

"Kagome." Sango breathed, relief almost making her faint. She leaned against Miroku and both were happy in the simple fact that Kagome still lived. Inu Yasha felt faint himself but shook the feeling off.

"Give me Kagome." He demanded, holding out a free arm for her and brandishing his sword in the other. 

"Haven't we gone over through this before, little brother?" Sesshomaru sighed, still holding Kagome close.  There was no way in all the hells that Sesshomaru was letting the girl go, not to his brother to be abused some more, not to anyone! Before he realized it, the youkai was glowing, shinning an amber light the same as his eyes. Everyone gasped except Sesshomaru; he simply stood upright with Kagome in his arms and leapt off the bed. He turned back to the group, eyes narrowed and eyes beginning to bleed red. "Stay away from Kagome; she needs to rest, not to be abused and bothered." And he swept from the room still glowing like an amber firecracker. Inu Yasha bounded after him, the transformed Tetsusagia held in a striking position. Energy snapped and crackled around the angry youkai and Inu Yasha was sent skidding across the floor and into a wall. The power change was so surprising that even Taomaru needed a few seconds to recover afterward.

"Wow," he said softly after a minute. "I would never have thought…"

"What, what just happened?" Inu Yasha asked, sitting up and starring at the door. "'Stay away from Kagome; she needs to rest, not to be abused and bothered.' What was he talking about?" 

                "'I killed what she had become.' I don't get it; did he kill her or did her kill a part of her?" Sango asked, confused by the sudden turn of events.

                Taomaru sighed, rubbing his chin. He picked up one of Kagome's pencils and ripped a blank sheet of paper from one of her notebooks. He held up a finger to signal for them to wait and started drawing. "Alright, this is going to be confusing so bare with me." He showed them the picture and Inu Yasha snorted.

                "Fuck this. I'm going to get Kagome back before he hurts her further." The hanyou snarled and headed for the door. Taomaru's tail wrapped around Inu Yasha's leg and flipped him upside down. The youkai looked at his nephew, his bronze eye tinted with red.

                "Do shut up and listen for once! Sesshomaru will not hurt Kagome; in fact he has done the exact opposite so far." Taomaru swung Inu Yasha upward and dangled him over the bed before dropping his nephew on his head. Inu Yasha righted himself, rolling the crick out of his neck. He realized that he was missing his sword and saw that Miroku had taken it away. The hanyou growled and was promptly thunked by Taomaru. The youkai positioned the drawing so all three could see it. 

                "It looks like a wheel." Miroku remarked, frowning as he looked at the labels. The hub was labeled 'Kagome' and each of the three spokes was labeled as one of the three dog demons. The thin rim had no label but linked each spoke together just as the hub did.  

                "Now, this is the best diagram to portray the link between the four of us. Kagome linked us all to her and, as a consequence, we too are linked together. Kagome is the center of the wheel," he tapped the drawing. "and Sesshomaru, Inu Yasha and I are the spokes. She linked us to her. Everybody with me so far?" Taomaru looked at them all as they nodded. "Being the center, Kagome can draw on power and information from each of us. It is how she could get around the castle when everyone else would get lost and also how she could manifest enough magical power to erect a barrier around the whole castle and still kill those soldiers so effectively." At the memory, Inu Yasha felt physically ill and Taomaru looked at him. "Now is not the time to be squeamish, nephew." Miroku and Sango looked between the two.

                "You two can sense each other because of Lady Kagome." The monk stated, tapping the wheel's rim. "Does this apply to Sesshomaru as well?"

                Taomaru nodded. "We can sense each others proximity and emotional state. If we concentrate we can gather knowledge from another's memories and listen in on mental conversations. So far, Kagome is the best of us to be able to manipulate this ability; she can block us all from each other and from herself. Sesshomaru isn't far behind, as we've just seen, but he needs to figure out to control it. When she's awake, I'm sure Kagome will rein it in and divert it to Inu Yasha or I- it's what she's been doing so far. Okay so far?" He asked and again they all nodded. "Good because this may get confusing. Through each of us, Kagome is becoming more adept at using power and skills that we each, respectively, had to fight to control and master. Because of where I'm sealed and for how long, she is gaining an interesting mastery of using the earth as a weapon of destruction and protection."

                "Wait! If you can do so much then how come you haven't been helping out more? You turned the whole fucking forest against us a day or two ago and since then you haven't done anything!" Inu Yasha frowned. "You sit here all high and mighty and let us all bust our asses while you just sit there. You heal and can block memories but are you saying you can't now because you're sealed? If you've been sealed then how the hell did you pull off all that other crap?" 

                The other two remained silent but had been wondering the same thing; the mysteries surrounding Taomaru had just expressed in words by Inu Yasha's blunt statement. Taomaru snarled angrily and in a lightening movement almost to fast to follow, he had pinned Inu Yasha to the bed. The previously friendly and helpful youkai had turned into the fierce fighting machine he had been centuries ago. The hanyou could not free himself and felt afraid as he watched Taomaru's remaining eye bleed to a rich red. His uncle's power crackled through the room making the very air roil and vibrate with his fury.

 "All that time pinned to a tree, all that time spent around Kagome, Miroku and Sango, and you have learned nothing!" Taomaru twisted his claws into Inu Yasha's yukata, lifting him by it and then slamming him roughly back down. It was a sheer stroke of luck that the dark youkai had forgotten they were all still on the bed- if he had slammed Inu Yasha into the floor with as much strength, the stone would have shattered. "You have had the next five hundred years worth of knowledge at your very finger tips for over a year and you haven't bothered with it at all have you? Have you!? You have the brain cells of a jelly fish." Taomaru fumed in disgust. "You drag Kagome from her test and her school and have no clue just how important they are! No wonder Kagome is bonding with Sesshomaru; they are on the same intellectual level while you remain at the bottom. I can not believe that you and I are related, that you are Momaru's child!" And the youkai threw Inu Yasha into the headboard. 

Taomaru stood, shaking in anger and looked ready to simply eat his nephew. Still radiating anger, he turned his gaze on Sango and Miroku who took up defense postures immediately. Taomaru made an extremely visible effort to calm himself and failed. "I will continue to explain if you so desire but I will not explain anything with that selfish idiot nearby!"  He jumped off the bed and transformed into his giant form, hitting the ceiling and not seeming to care as his tough fur dug groves in the ceiling as he squeezed through the exit. 

Sesshomaru placed Kagome in his room, tucking her into his freshly made bed without embarrassment. Once laid out, Kagome curled up under the sheets burying into the fabric and shivering slightly. Surprised by this, Sesshomaru felt her forehead. She had a normal temperature so the reason she shivered must have been due to the sudden temperature change. He frowned and then realized that while carrying her, Kagome had settled against his chest, one of the warmer spots on Sesshomaru's body. He fetched a blanket from the chest at the end of his bed and returned, placing it over Kagome. He tucked it around her and watched as she stopped shivering, settling into a peaceful sleep. 

The youkai found himself running his hand through her hair, enjoying the feel of the wavy, silky strands flowing through his fingers. Sesshomaru blinked and stopped, surprised and slightly horrified at his behavior for the past few moments. Had he just put her in his bed? Had he really just been showing affection to her, to a _human? On no; this was unacceptable. There was no way he could be showing emotion to her, should protect her from his brother. Sesshomaru sneered at the sleeping girl, his eyes narrowing. Kagome was Inu Yasha's bitch. The hanyou's problem- this had nothing to do with Sesshomaru and never had. Protect her? __Her? This pathetic, weak, breakable, soft, caring, kissable… NO! Sesshomaru blinked, his tail puffing out more than normal as his anger grew. He couldn't be thinking such things- he was Sesshomaru, Great Demon Lord of the Western Lands! This girl was just another human, a weapon now; something to be used and then discarded after its duties had been fulfilled. He should order Inu Yasha in here to claim Kagome and call the servants to change the bed sheets again._

He did not move, sitting beside Kagome, breathing in her scent. Sesshomaru frowned and ordered himself to call Inu Yasha or to toss Kagome out the door and leave her to her fate. He continued to sit there silently, a vein in his temple trying to work it's way free from his skin. Under her blankets, Kagome moved. She began to struggle, as if she were drowning, kicking her legs and moving her arms to reach air. She made whimpering noises. "Help! Help me!" She called softly. "Please help me, Sesshomaru!" 

All thoughts of tossing her away evaporated in a fraction of a second. Sesshomaru pulled back the covers and exposed Kagome to the cool air. "Kagome?" He said softly, shaking her gently. "Kagome, wake up." This was why he had knocked her out completely, so she would be able to rest her body and her mind. She continued to fight, becoming more and more uncoordinated. He grabbed her hands, calling her mentally and demanding she awaken. His order hit a wall however, a black solid wall that was not Kagome's doing. Sesshomaru's jaw dropped as he felt the familiar presence. 

_Now? He thought. __That bitch had to attack us now? __Of all the times…! He had to warn the others- no telling what damage she might do with the situation as it was. Sesshomaru lowered his mental barriers and yelled an alarm strong enough to make an air raid siren ashamed. __She's back! The dream youkai is back! He did not add that it was already attacking Kagome; he was still angry with the other two after all. He continued to call out to Kagome, shaking her and nuzzling her neck. _

                Kagome shuttered as he did the last, her power sparking in the process and reaching out for Sesshomaru. The youkai glowed pink before the light changed to amber. _Wake up! He screamed at her. __My Lady, wake up! He shook her hard once and felt her stir. Her eyes opened slowly, heavy lidded with exertion. She looked up at Sesshomaru, into his concerned amber orbs and felt her magic curl back inside of her again. It was not alone however; a small piece of Sesshomaru's newly awakened power went with it, snuggling up against hers. As Sesshomaru's magic retreated, he felt the small chunk of Kagome's power do the same, filling a nitch in his heart he hadn't even noticed. _

                "I had a bad dream." She whispered, lying on the bed passively. "It scared me." She did not cry, did not whimper. Aside from breathe, Kagome made no sound and did not move. As the youkai looked down at her, she looked so fragile, so vulnerable, so… human.

 Sesshomaru scooped her up in his arms, hugging her to his chest and pulling her into his lap. Pressed so close, he could here her thundering heart beat, feel the organ slow down to a normal rhythm. He knew she must be feeling his heart do the same; it had scared him when he couldn't wake her, scared him in a way he hadn't known anybody could. "Me too," he said, cheek resting against her hair. "Me too."

                "She's back, you know." Kagome said after a thoughtful moment. "And I think we were wrong about her."

Pennath's Notes: Okay, I know this chapter is short and early but oh well. ::has more tests this week:: Hopefully I'll be able to get back on a regular schedule after the next few days, after life leaves off and lets me begin writing again.  ::sighs:: At this rate, I'll never finish this story and it's driving me nuts! But enough whining!

                That's right everyone, the dream youkai is back and more and more details are being added to the mystery of Taomaru. Any fans still out there? Well, if there are, just about everything explaining him will be explained as the story continues- mostly because everyone keeps pestering him about it. Kindly don't flame me because of the increasing closeness of Sesshomaru and Kagome- it will be explained and dealt with later.

In the next chapter, the secret of the dream youkai will be revealed and Inu Yasha will once again jump to very dangerous conclusions. Is anyone else noticing that he's behaving a little odd…? Not just normal Inu odd but odd odd. Hmm, there may be more to that so keep an eye on him. Hell, keep an eye on everyone especially those three lords. They are up to no good and are going to cause problems. And that's all I'm going to say. So the chapter was short but I threw in a few tidbits to hopefully make up for it. 

Have a good week everyone! ::dives into her hidey-hole away from her impending lab test:: Eeep! Hide me!


	11. Momiji

Legal stuff: I only own Taomaru and Momiji. I don't own Inu Yasha, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Chapter 10:  Momiji

At first there had been darkness. It was so dark but I wasn't afraid; this was a place I could rest, could sleep and feel better. I wasn't dead, which was a relief; this was just a place I could sleep dreamlessly. I had slept comfortably, resting on something soft and downy, no noise in my head to make me wake up, no emergency, no quest to rush off to. It was just me in the warm dark place and it was wonderful until, suddenly, the quiet dark place wasn't so quiet. I was being poked and prodded and being shaken. I didn't want to wake up- I wanted to stay in my dark place and rest, dammit! My anger was gently swept away in seconds; this was not a place for it. 

                I ignored those that bothered me and felt myself drift away, just drifting on the darkness and enjoying the solitude. It was so different from reality, from my life, that I almost didn't want to leave. Almost; when I was rested enough I would wake up by myself and feel much better, more prepared for the tasks at hand and the duties I would have to perform. Distantly I could still feel my body being shaken harder by rough hands, could feel my neck snapping back and forth with the strength of it. I felt the abuse stop and my body flop back onto the surface it rested on. God, what mess would I return to when I woke up? Hell, what shape would I be in when I woke?

                My body was picked up; this time the person was much gentler. The person began licking my neck and I couldn't ignore it; I turned my attention to waking up and felt annoyed. I felt my temple kissed and a quiet call to wake up beckon me to consciousness. I began feeling my body more acutely, the sensations becoming more real. I didn't move, taking the time to readjust to being back from where ever I had been. Someone was rubbing my arms and tickling my face. I batted away the soft fluff annoying my nose and grumbled. I went back to sleep, and fell into a dream.

                This dream was stranger than any I had had recently. I sensed a familiar presence and froze momentarily. She was back- the bitch that had started all this shit- and she was proving she wasn't out of the game yet. This time however I wasn't the one being manipulated; I was more on the sidelines observing. Well, that was new; she wasn't trying to kill me this time, just the girl I was being forced to watch.

                The girl wasn't much taller than I was with caramel colored fur and hair. She was a dog demon, that much was obvious, but wasn't dressed for the battle she fought. She clashed swords with youkai and the spindly legged creatures I had seen earlier. Other fighters, most in aprons or servant kimonos, were forcing the invaders back through the door. All of them roared and screamed enough noise to make me wonder if there were more people here than I could see. I looked around the room and realized it was the foyer of Sesshomaru's castle. Sure the decorations were a bit different, but it was the same room, complete with raised step and archway leading to the stairway.

                The caramel colored youkai continued to fight, urging her companions onward. With her guidance they forced their opponents out of the castle, but the victory had cost them; every last one of them had some sort of wound to varying degrees. Those that were less hurt helped the others nearby. I watched the caramel dog demon survey the scene and come to a decision. She spoke with a crane youkai and then left the room, me floating beside her. The more I experienced, the more I was beginning to think this was a memory, not just a dream. 

                After a long trot through several passage ways, we came to a room. It had been intentionally secluded, intentionally hidden for solitude. The girl pushed open the medium sized door and entered, me right beside her. The room wasn't that large in comparison to some of the rooms I had seen in the castle; this one was about the same size as the one I had been in when I took my bath. I heard water dripping, felt steam swirl around my feet, and looked for the source. In the rear of the room, dead center, was a hot spring. The girl climbed into the water, not bothering to remove her clothing. Water eddied around her form at rib level as she bowed her head and brought her hands up in prayer. I moved closer and couldn't see what it was she stood on- the bottom of the spring was lost to my eyes even as the surface grew flat.

                Her power flared, a green halo surrounding her body. "Help." I heard her whisper. "Help us fight, help us protect the ones we love." Tendrils, streamers of power began to branch out from her, spreading over the walls and through the ceiling. The water around the woman bubbled and waves appeared on the calm surface. The earth around us shook and rumbled, scaring me but not seeming to bother the girl. She remained as she was, her power bright and strong. I knew she was concentrating, knew she was sending all that energy somewhere. I looked into the now turbulent water and saw a battle field filled with soldiers, dog demons and members of the Dark Army clawing and ripping at each other. One caramel colored figure had changed form and was glowing a slightly lighter shade of the jade green the girl in front of me glowed. 

                The glowing dog demon paused, looking around and then howled for his troops to retreat. The earth beneath his feet began to buck and crack and the dog demons ran. They did not disappear behind the wall that fenced off the grounds protecting the castle; rather all of them transformed into their dog shapes and formed a line. It was an intimidating sight, watching them form a wall of snarling angry bodies, but the Dark Army was not swayed, even with the earth moving below them. As soon as the last dog demon had joined the line, the Dark Army and other youkai charged; it was the last stupid thing they did. 

                The ground rumbled and bucked like a wild horse, cracking and rocking. Chasms formed and the soldiers fell into them or were crushed beneath rocky outcroppings bursting from the earth's surface. Scalding water followed by lava gushed from other openings killing thousands as they erupted and spread over the area. Trees sprang to life and bludgeoned enemy youkai to death; hell, the whole damn forest got up and ran across the field killing anything in its path. The sky above thundered and from the peaceful blue sky lightening forked to the ground, finding and electrocuting targets. Wild animals rushed forth from their hiding places and attacked the remaining soldiers. Eventually the ground quieted and the lava and water retreated, sealing the cracks as they left. Trees moved and blocked off escape for the remaining stragglers and the glowing dog youkai roared, leading his fighters forward to destroy them.    

                "My God." I whispered, shocked and horrified at the destruction and violence. I looked at the girl in the water, saw her slump slightly and open her eyes. She looked tired and relieved as she sighed.

 "Thank you." She said. "Thank you all." She dropped her hands and slogged through the water to the edge of the spring, prepared to leave and go sleep off her exhaustion. The glowing pathways her power had created flared and abruptly she was dragged back into the water by unseen hands. She fought, struggling to break free of what held her and swim to shore. Her limbs were bound by the water, thick solid appendages forming to pin the woman's arms and feet. She kept kicking as she sank. 

Before I could think about it, I reached out for her, aiming for her hair because everything else was bound tight. "Hold on!" I yelled and her head whipped around to look at me. "I've got you!" I grabbed her hair, wrapping my fingers in the thick strands and pulling her toward me. I touched her skin and suddenly it was me bound and sinking in the hot water. I screamed, spitting water out when it splashed inside. _Lukin! I screamed in my head. __Lukin help me! I panicked, franticly trying to kick and free my arms but the solidified water tightened, squeezing the very breath from my lungs. A moment of coherent thought gripped me- Lukin? Who was Lukin? I didn't know any Lukin- the only person I could sense near by was…. _

 "Help! Help me!" I panted desperately, more water getting past my lips. "Please help me Sesshomaru!" I fought to breath even as the water covered my mouth. I tilted my head so my nose was above water but after a few shallow breaths the water slipped over my head completely. I struggled harder and felt my body begin to tire. I looked up through the clear water, watching as the surface got further and further away. At last I couldn't move anymore, could only feel my brain begin to get fuzzy. I held my breath for as long as I could but the water around me squeezed again. Bubbles floated upward, my life going with them, and water entered my mouth. In a few seconds my lungs filled with it and my sight dimmed. My eyes shut and I felt my power flare, only to have the energy I needed to live siphoned away. 

The warm water suddenly turned cold and someone was shaking me, screaming at me to wake up. I opened my eyes beneath the water and saw the woman floating in front of me. She was dressed as she had been in my dream, in the nightmare I had first seen her in, when she told me to learn the secret, an older version than the caramel colored youkai I had just tried to save. "Why?" I asked. "Why did you do all this?" Vaguely, I was surprised that I could talk under water but then again this was a dream… or so I kept telling myself.

She touched my face, a hand on either cheek. She looked sad. "You had to learn the secrets you know now in order to aid my descendants. You are the only one who can insure victory in the coming battle but without the knowledge you have gained thus far, you would be the first to die."

"I've been through hell in that time frame and I haven't learned anything." I said and felt my head fall forward and rest on my chest. 

"You learned the truth," She said softly, lifting and cradling my face as she kissed my forehead. "You learned the truth about a lot of things and a lot of people. Thank you for trying to help." I blinked at her and felt my bonds loosen. Air filled my lungs and replaced the water. The pressing weight that had held me lessened and I realized I wasn't trapped under water anymore and that I stood on solid ground.  I felt water logged and couldn't stand. She caught me when I fell and continued her thought. "After that day, I was imprisoned in the water, in a parody of life that didn't end until my power gave out." I looked up at her then and knew that she had been there for a few centuries. 

"You started the whole Guardian thing." I realized. "I met the current Guardian when you triggered the dream mesh. You mean he's imprisoned like this? Alive but not?"

"With the help of your magic, he can move around but he must rest periodically because it takes a lot of energy to simply be that mobile. Unlike me, he went willingly into the position in order to protect the two people he loved most."

"How do you know…um, what is your name?" I asked and felt myself beginning to wake. 

She smiled at me. "My name is Momiji and I know because I have haunted this castle since I died and have seen everything that has transpired within these walls." 

Momiji felt less and less solid. "Can I talk to you again sometime?" I asked as I felt strong hands shake me and a strong tug on my heart.

"Of course, daughter." She replied.

I woke up completely. I was confused and disoriented as I looked up into Sesshomaru's worried eyes. Where the hell was I now? I lay on the bed and didn't move, trying to process information from my dream and my surroundings in reality all while looking up at Sesshomaru. 

"I had a bad dream." I said at last, feeling like a child. "It scared me." His eyes became concerned and he picked me up, settling me in his lap and hugging me close. He was so warm I let myself just rest against his chest, soaking up his body heat and listening to his heart calm down. 

"Me too," He said, wrapping his arms around me tighter. "Me too." I was surprised at how shaken he sounded and wondered if another emergency had popped up after he knocked me out. Well, at least we had one great mystery solved.

 "She's back, you know." I said after a minute. "And I think we were wrong about her." I didn't have to explain who _she was._

I shivered; despite the heat Sesshomaru radiated, the room was still cold. He pushed me back a little and began pulling at his kimono sash. My eyes widened. _Hold on there buddy! I'm not that__ cold! He flashed me a smile and let his outer robe hang open, his arms encircling my waist and pulling me against him. _

_Stay put. Sesshomaru nuzzled my neck and tickled me with his tail to distract me as he retied his outer robe around my body and his. To be comfortable, I had to rearrange my legs and straddle his lap, and wound up being pressed right against him; one hard thought would have closed the tiny gap between us. This also pushed me higher and I rested my head on his shoulder, my arms settling around his waist. As close as we were, it wasn't sexual- though that could change in a heartbeat- it was just sharing mutual comfort and it felt really good right now._

"How so?" Sesshomaru asked softly and I was grateful he was sparing my ears from a work out. His tail wrapped around us both and closed the gap; now I was really up close and personal with him. He behaved himself, rubbing my back in small circles. I buried my head in his neck, feeling his warm satiny hair cover me. Instead of answering, I dropped one of my mental barriers- I was getting really good at this- and invited him to view the fading dream I had just experienced. He cautiously accepted, allowing me access to his mind. I felt him sifting through the dream to the more relevant parts, pausing in surprise at a few parts. While he watched my memories, I caught myself up on the goings on for the past hour or so. 

I was disgusted with my behavior on the bed in the other room, indeed becoming a very sad creature. I was surprised that Sesshomaru had actually taken my notebook and had begun implementing the plans inside. I mean, I was human; Sesshomaru didn't like humans. I went through all the planning and preparation, taking careful note of which youkai of Sesshomaru's household I could trust and talk to. I also did not miss the plotting of the three visiting lords; I really did _not like them. I watched him revive me from the dark place I had been, felt his annoyance at Inu Yasha for having to do so and felt his power flare when Sesshomaru had finally had enough and walked out of the room. I saw him tuck me in-even getting me a spare blanket, wow- and felt his emotional battle with himself. I realized something that he may have missed as I mentally pulled away._

_A part of you is waking up after a very long time. I told him, a tinge disappointed. Now I would have to deal with the nasty Sesshomaru again simply because he was beginning to doubt himself. I sighed into his hair; it had been nice while it lasted. I didn't love Sesshomaru -felt closer to him more so than anyone else right now but, no, I did not love him. And feeling his emotional turmoil over his affection to me, I kinda wished I did. It disturbed him greatly that his emotional side was waking up and becoming a powerful, undeniable, force. Besides, I was just getting over his brother- swapping one brother for the other didn't sit well with me- and what I needed was a friend, not another possible boyfriend. Sesshomaru also needed someone who could love him back immediately and right now I couldn't let my heart get stomped on again; we both deserved a loving relationship but one with each other was out of the question.  I hugged him tight and then pulled away, freeing an arm to untie the robe. I should leave before he did anything destructive or vindictive. _

He watched me pull away and though his face remained its usual mask, his eyes showed how hurt he was. Damn; I couldn't leave him like this- he'd never reach out emotionally to anyone ever again. My resolve softened and I leaned toward him to kiss the half moon on his forehead. He tracked me with his eyes and just before my lips brushed his skin he tilted his head up, catching my lips with his. I was so startled I didn't react at first and he deepened the kiss, biting gently at my lower lip. I pulled away and his hand pushed me forward again, tangling in my hair as he kissed me.

I didn't know what to do! If I pushed him away, he could become violent or at least a chunk of ice again. If I kept letting him kiss me he could push it to the next level and I wasn't up for sex on a good day, let alone now. It was a quandary and an annoying one at that but those weren't the worst reasons. The worst reason was that, simply, I liked it. I liked that he kissed me so passionately and that he wanted to kiss me, to touch me. Again, sex was a no-no, but kissing could be permissible as long as he didn't get carried away. I responded at last, tentatively applying pressure against his lips and he growled low in his throat, kissing me harder. 

His hand moved away from my head and tugged at his robe. Uh oh; Houston we had a problem. This had just gone out of the safety zone and, by the digging sensation near my hips, was barreling well into the land of no return. Besides, what the hell had happened to my decision to_ not lead him on? God, his lips hit mine and my brain scrambled- that was where my resolve had disappeared to; it was in my blood, rushing away from my head and to… other regions low in my body. Crap. "Sesshomaru?" I pulled back and he started kissing my throat. "Sesshomaru, no sex. I'm not ready." _

"_I'm ready." His voice was muffled by my neck and yes, I did know he was ready- very ready. _

"I, um, know you're ready." God, what was he doing? His tongue had flicked out, tracing the curves of my skin as his head went lower. He came to the neck of my nightgown and I had to pull him away. I brought him back to eye level with me and put a hand over his mouth to stop him from kissing me again. "No. Sex." I said clear and low, seeing the meaning sink in to him. His amber eyes started to bleed to red and a thrill went up my spine. I was afraid and there was no where to go. 

I started to shake, my eyes wide, and he blinked. "Kagome?" he questioned, eyes bright amber again. He touched my neck and I leaned away from his hand. "Kagome what's wrong?" He was alarmed now, the emotion radiating off him and tingling across my skin. He shook me gently and I flinched. 

                I drew a shaking breath and calmed myself. "Your eyes changed red when you got angry. It scared me."

                "That is an understatement." He murmured and lifted me off his lap. He put me on the bed and made no movement as I put a few feet between us. Sesshomaru picked up the covers, holding them up and gesturing I get under them. I hesitated and he sighed. "Go back to sleep. You aren't ready to be walking about yet." I frowned, ready to protest that I was awake and ready for action now but he held up his hand to silence me. "We are going to be attacked soon and by the time the battle is over we will all be exhausted. Get some sleep while you are able." I could feel the truth in the statement and blinked, feeling the sudden urge to yawn. I crawled under the blankets he still held and he tucked them around me. 

                I propped myself up on one arm and he smiled at me wryly. "I should be going anyway to make sure all is ready." He said. "It's good you stopped me. I apologize that I scared you." He added in a subdued voice, looking sincere. I squeezed his hand and he looked at me sharply as I lay back down and snuggled under the covers. He pushed my hair out of my face and slid off the bed. I heard his shoes clicking on the stone floor as he left. The door closed behind him with a soft creak and I was alone again.

                That had been too close, in scariness and in sexual terms. Until things went too far, I hadn't been able to pull myself together to push him away or tell him no. Wow; who knew kissing could be so dangerous? Sesshomaru had gotten angry but after I got scared he had stopped, returning to a more neutral mood and then becoming alarmed when he saw how afraid I had been. That was the important thing- that Sesshomaru had stopped the moment he saw I was frightened. I yawned but wanted to get my stuff first. I slid out of the bed and as soon as my feet hit the floor I shivered and winced. The floor was freezing! I grabbed the spare blanket off the bed and wrapped it around my shivering body, crossing the floor. I heard voices as I neared the door and I strained to hear them and make out what was being said. A hand touched my shoulder and I jumped, spinning around to see what had grabbed me. My eyes widened. "Momiji?"

                Inu Yasha heard his brothers warning and relayed it to Sango and Miroku. As one, they left the room, heading toward Sesshomaru's den. The path they took back, the same one they had come down in, seemed longer and twisting than it had before. It took them much longer to get back to the hallway where Sesshomaru's den lay and by the time they reached it, the youkai was closing the door behind him, taking a moment to retie his outer kimono. He looked up at their approach, any warmth draining out of his eyes. His face slipped into its usual arrogant mask and the three had a disconcerting feeling as they watched it happen. 

                "What do you want?" The pale youkai asked, clearly not happy to see them. Inu Yasha ignored his brother's tone and sniffed instead. The hanyou blinked and stepped closer, still smelling the same scent mixed with Sesshomaru's. The youkai watched his brother, holding still and letting him follow his nose. "Yes?" Sesshomaru asked, one eyebrow raised at Inu Yasha.

                The hanyou growled loudly, his rage sparking instantly. "You slept with her!" He yelled. "You raped her as she slept!" The monk and exterminator stood stock still, unwilling to believe the hanyou. Both of them were unsure as to where Inu Yasha was getting this conclusion- Sango and Miroku had been discussing things between themselves earlier and had to come to the conclusion that something was mentally not right with the hanyou. However, for all the problems they were encountering, Inu Yasha still had the better nose of them all aside from Sesshomaru and must have had ample evidence on which to base his assumptions. Hoping that the last was correct, Sango drew her boomerang and Miroku readied his staff, both very angry and appalled.

                "She trusted you and you betrayed her as well!" Miroku shook with anger.

                "I knew you couldn't be trusted!" Sango yelled and launched her boomerang. Inu Yasha charged at the same time with Miroku. Sesshomaru dodged the attacks by leaping high into the air and landing a few yards away. He did not bother to talk to the three because it would have done him no good- they had already made up their minds and short of showing them proof (which he did not have) they were not going to stop until he was dead. Inu Yasha was on his brother in seconds, swiping with his claws and for once, the hanyou was proving a very difficult opponent. Fueled by his anger and rage, Inu Yasha had discarded the Tetsusaiga and become a killing machine with only one goal in mind- to kill Sesshomaru. 

                Unlike his now insane younger brother, Sesshomaru did not wish to kill Inu Yasha. Maim, yes, but not kill. In the coming battle, Inu Yasha would be an invaluable asset. It was the reason Sesshomaru had sought him out in the first place. But if the hanyou continued, kept pushing his older brother, Sesshomaru would be forced to defend himself and would probably cripple Inu Yasha. The youkai dodged under a wild swing and was hit from behind by Sango's boomerang. It hurt as a wide cut was sliced cross wise across his back and Sesshomaru turned to keep her and the hanyou in view. Miroku brought down his sharp tipped staff, intending to hit Sesshomaru's neck and instead cut off a length of tail when Sesshomaru moved to avoid the strike. The three were forcing the youkai back toward his den, back toward Kagome. 

                _This has to stop. Sesshomaru thought. He had sustained enough damage and now he was really angry. Sango came near, came too close, and Sesshomaru grabbed her clothing, hurling her down the hallway away from himself and his den._

                "Sango!" The monk screamed and in the slight hesitation he exhibited over aiding his lady love or attacking Sesshomaru again the youkai grabbed Miroku's arm, twisted it, and sent him flying. Inu Yasha lunged and hit Sesshomaru mid-body, claws tearing through cloth and flesh in a purely bestial fashion. He pinned the struggling youkai and tore into the warm body, continuing the damage with his claws and then using his powerful teeth. Blood flew in arcs, painting the hall in crimson relief, the metallic scent intoxicating to the now demon hanyou. 

Pennath's Notes:  I'm sorry this one is late- I'm having communication problems. ::grumbles unhappily:: I'm going to keep trying to fix the problem and to get the chapters out on a regular schedule. ::sighs:: 

                Anyway, did everyone like the chapter? Has everyone been picking up on Inu's behavior? And what about Momiji? Yes, she was the dream youkai _way back in Sick Days. Boy was that long ago! For you battle fans, the battle is coming- just bear with me because I'm writing it. _

                On a more serious note, the next chapter will have two versions posted. Why? you may ask? Well, simply put, the next chapter is not for children. Due to the younger age groups who do me the pleasure of reading this story, an edited version will be posted on the main story (DWF: Pt3) so the rating can stay down and all can read. The other version will be the original chapter unedited and will be as it was meant to be.  

Why are there two versions? The next chapter is violent and bloody but also deals with the more sensitive issue of child rape. The original version (under the rating of NC-17) will contain the scene while the edited version will not. For those of you who are saying 'Ick! Gross! How could I possibly write something so horrible?!' kindly hear me out before passing judgment. As I said, due to the sensitive nature of the contents, I have written two versions. If you are not interested in this kind of thing then please don't read it. The chapter consists of four memories, each from a separate individual, and adds character depth.  The events therein will pop up later in the story- not in great depth- and will add light on a few things. 

Again, please heed this warning:

The next chapter is posted in two versions, one edited, one unedited. For the unedited version, please click the link to the rest of the story (here) and ignore the other posting. If you find the story via the main FF.N page, please make sure it is the one you want. For those who want the full effect, please find the other posting (with as much warning signs, etc.) and read that one. The scene isn't gory or over done and Telos (my editor for those of you who haven't paid any attention to my comments) and I went round and round on it to make sure it was worth reading. For the other people who don't want to read any of it, that is your choice and I respect it. Please check back next week for chapter 11.

A bit over done, but everything has been spelled out. Please don't flame me, etc. You have been warned in no uncertain terms. I know someone out there will get pissed and email me about what a horrible person I am and I am firing up my barbeque for your emails. Just remember- You have been warned.


	12. Memories

Chapter 11: Memories

Legal: Where have you been? In a cave?

Notes: Okay everyone this is the edited version of this chapter- for the original you'll have to go a-hunting on the display page. The only major difference between the two is 1 memory. That's it and for kids and people sensitive to the issue, please don't be worried about missing some big important detail- I knew I'd have to post both versions separately and, though the missing memory adds a more disturbing atmosphere to parts of the story, it is not vital to read the section. The issue will come up and will be highly glossed over with only important details told. It happened, this is why it's significant, done.

 Alright? I will warn anyone who is confused on any issues after this (I mean plot related that have been discussed not 'where the hell did that come from?' messages) please for the love of God email me. There are a lot of twists and turns in the next couple of chapters right up to the end of this part and if you get lost you will never understand what is going on. 

"Dad! Dad, look what I learned!" a six-year-old Kagome yelled, running up the Sunset Shrine's steep steps. Her mother followed a few steps behind, smiling at her rambunctious daughter. Kagome crossed the yard in a matter seconds, heading for the well house where her father usually was. She reached the steps just as he came out, arms open. Kagome jumped into those strong arms and laughed as her father spun around, joining his daughter in laughter. 

                "Watch me Dad!" Kagome said as he placed her on the ground and went to greet his wife. The couple kissed and laughed, hugging and smiling at their daughter's impatient behavior. The little girl had folded her arms over her chest, tapping her foot on the concrete pavement. "Are you two done?" Her parents nodded and Kagome's face lit up in a smile. She put her backpack on the ground and aligned her body for a cartwheel. 

                "Are you watching?" The little girl asked excitedly. She noticed her parents kissing again and whined. "Dad, watch me!" With his wife in the circle of his arms and his chin resting on her head, Mr. Higurashi watched his daughter patiently. She kept glancing at him to make sure he was paying attention. When she was satisfied that he was indeed paying attention, Kagome preformed her cartwheel perfectly, landing on her feet at the end and spinning on her heel in one of the dance moves her father had taught her. She put her hands up, palms wide to show she was finished. "Ta dah!"

                Mr. and Mrs. Higurashi clapped accordingly, ginning at each other and at their laughing daughter. He kissed his wife and extended a hand to Kagome. "It's time for your miko lessons!" He said and Kagome's smile dimmed a bit but stayed. Waving at her mother, Kagome followed her father to the Goshimbu tree and waited for the new lesson. She had been getting a lot of these lessons lately- the little girl supposed that after she had made the house shake in a tantrum, her parents had opted to teach her to control her emerging power. 

                She was handed her staff, carved from a branch from the very tree she stood under. The staff was too tall for her but Kagome had been reassured that she would eventually grow into it; though she was eleven, Kagome was under height for her age and it worried her sometimes. Shrugging, she began the steps her father had told her, charging her staff as she moved in the dance. She tripped over her feet but her father simply picked her up and set her on her feet again, kissing any cuts she got. 

                Kagome sometimes wondered why there was no music for this dance, no tape her father played to help her keep her rhythm. She asked him about it and got this reply. "The song for this dance is individual, as unique as the person performing it. There is no music written by anyone anywhere that could be played and help you, Kagome, dance the steps correctly. It's the same with the completion for the dance; I can only teach you the first few moves but after that you have to make it up, you have to complete the dance." Kagome had merely blinked up at him, the explanation going in one ear, sticking somewhere in her brain, and then promptly buried under thoughts of more important things; like when she would get her ice cream.  So Kagome practiced what she was taught and mastered it- even the staff movements, something she was immensely proud of.

                That's so good sweet heart!" Mr. Higurashi said, picking up his tired daughter and brining her inside the house proper. Kagome yawned and smiled at him. They had dinner and her father put her to bed after a goodnight kiss from her mother. Once upstairs, Kagome changed and crawled into the large bed-something she would also one day grow into- and looked up at her father. "Daddy," the little girl said as he sat on the bed. "How come you can do the dance but don't get tired while I do?" 

                He smiled at her and tucked the blankets around her. "I'm older, for one thing, and have learned how to control my power. You're still young and just learning to control your power."

                "But where did that power come from Daddy?" Kagome yawned again and blinked. Mr. Higurashi knew his daughter wouldn't be awake for much longer.

                "Sunset Shrine has been along for a very long time, built around the Bone Eater's well and the old Goshimbu tree, both of which have existed for much longer than anyone knows. Our family was given the duty to protect them from evil."

                Kagome frowned and sat up. "Does our power come from them? I thought we were descended from a strong line of mikos." 

                "We are." Her father pushed her back down. "But we are also rumored to be descended from dog demons." 

                Kagome gasped. "But demons don't exist and if we do come from demons are we evil?" The child had paled. 

                "No! No we aren't evil! Sheesh, Kagome." Mr. Higurashi rolled his eyes and Kagome giggled. "The dog demons we are _rumored to be descended from were great guardian beasts, fierce defenders of the mikos in our line. Besides," he winked playfully. "This was a long, long time ago; how do you know there weren't any demons?" And he tickled her briefly before kissing her forehead and standing. He hit the light and closed the door. "Good night, Kagome."_

                Eventually Kagome did grow into her full height just as her father had promised her. It was sad that Mr. Higurashi never lived to see it; the man had died months before it her growth spurt happened. At the funeral, Kagome cried as only children could, full out and uninhibited. Mrs. Higurashi cried more quietly, holding the infant Sota closely. As the casket lowered into the ground, Kagome watched it with haunted eyes; the image would reoccur for years afterward in her nightmares. When the family returned to the shrine, hundreds of well-wishers and friends arrived. Thoughts, prayers and stories were swapped and shared. Kagome did not participate; as soon as she could get away she sat under the Goshimbu tree and tried to come to grips with her father's death. She cried and curled up; not wanting to admit her daddy would never teach her anything again. She didn't want to have anything to do with her lessons anymore- the joyful memories were too painful. 

                Soon after that day, Kagome's powers and the staff she had practiced with disappeared.

~

"Hahaue?" a tiny Inu Yasha asked, pulling on the sleeves of his mother's kimono. The woman remained immobile, looking as if she were merely asleep. "Hahaue, wake up." His tugging became more frantic, more desperate, as the hanyou realized that his mother still wouldn't move. Inu Yasha climbed up onto her bed, looking down at her fully. 

                Lady Yui's hands were folded over her waist, her eyes closed, her chest unmoving. Inu Yasha's ears swiveled in a scanning motion, trying to find her heartbeat. Aside from his own, the room was quiet. Panic seized the hanyou and he began tugging on his mother urgently, calling for her. A servant heard his cries and came to investigate, finding the child crying into his dead mother's chest. The servant tried to pull Inu Yasha off the dead human but met stubborn resistance, the child's claws holding tight to his mother's kimono. The servant continued to tug at Inu Yasha, still tried to dislodge the child, not realizing that Inu Yasha's cries had summoned his elder brother.

                "Leave him." Sesshomaru ordered, walking across the room in a quick stride. The servant obeyed immediately and went to fetch those that would deal with the body. Inu Yasha continued to wail, crying full out for his mother, unwilling to accept she was dead. Sesshomaru touched Inu Yasha's shoulder, the youkai making it to the bed and finally able to look down at the dead woman. 

                The hanyou looked up at his brother, his ears drooping heavily, tears streaking his small face. "Hahaue," he sobbed as Sesshomaru looked down at him. "Hahaue won't wake up!" The child turned back to his mother, sniffling noisily as reality made itself plain. 

                Sesshomaru ran a hand through Inu Yasha's pale hair while his amber eyes surveyed the room for enemies; while he spoke, Sesshomaru's entire body was on alert for threats. "She's gone Inu-chan." His voice was soft, as grief stricken as he would ever allow it to be in public. Inu Yasha looked up at his brother, at the most powerful person in the world after their father. 

                "Then bring her back!" Inu Yasha pleaded, his eyes large with unshed tears. "Bring her back Sesshomaru!" He tugged on Sesshomaru's kimono, balling his small fists into the fabric. 

                "I can't." Sesshomaru said simply and Inu Yasha's fists dropped. The little boy turned back to his mother, looking down at her lovely face and feeling his world crumble. If Sesshomaru said he couldn't do something, then no one could. 

                The hanyou sniffled again and bowed his head. "I wanna go too; I wanna be with hahaue." His shoulders slumped in defeat, loneliness creeping into his heart. The little one felt truly and utterly alone now that his mother was dead. Sure Inu Yasha had Sesshomaru, but the latter was always so busy with duties that he never had anytime to play with his younger brother. It was the same with the brothers' father; Lord Momaru hadn't been seen by his sons for several days, leaving Sesshomaru in charge. The only one who had always been there was Lady Yui, Inu Yasha's mother, and now she was dead. It left Inu Yasha with an uncertain future. Enemies were everywhere and he had almost on one to protect him.

                "You can't go with her," Sesshomaru said and Inu Yasha felt himself being lifted upward. "You can't leave for a very long time." Sesshomaru held his little brother, resting his chin on the small head and stroking his back while Inu Yasha began to cry again. The young prince continued to sooth his brother as servants entered the room, glancing nervously at the pair. There was some hesitation as to who would actually touch the body- after all; Lady Yui had been human and humans were vermin compared to youkai. It irritated Sesshomaru to watch these idiots. Everyone in the castle had loved Lady Yui while alive and they were all tossing that affection for her aside like garbage now that she was dead. 

                Inu Yasha watched the servants hesitate, feeling like he wanted to scream. He was about to voice his opinion of them all when Sesshomaru placed the hanyou on his shoulders. Sesshomaru's tail snaked around Inu Yasha's waist, making sure the child didn't fall as Sesshomaru picked up Lady Yui's body. After looking at the servants with a gaze that held disgust and promised punishment, Sesshomaru left the den carrying the dead woman and Inu Yasha to his father. 

                Later that night, when all arrangements had been made and all details had been discussed, Sesshomaru found himself sharing his bed with Inu Yasha. The child had slept in the same room with his mother and had never really had to sleep alone. Inu Yasha, looking depressed and heartbroken, had simply stayed near his brother the entire day, silently enduring his grief.  In truth, the child had been so despondent that Sesshomaru was almost afraid as to what Inu Yasha would do if left alone. So Inu Yasha was curled beside Sesshomaru, crying softly in his sleep. 

                The pale youkai sighed quietly, winding down from this sad day and lay down. He pulled Inu Yasha against him and curled around the tiny body, wrapping his tail around them both. Sesshomaru stroked Inu Yasha's head, taking small comfort from the action. Now, finally, it was just the two of them and Sesshomaru could let his grief come out, letting his mourning begin. Sesshomaru would miss Lady Yui, already missed her, and would do his best to help his father raise Inu Yasha. And to find her killer. The prince owed the woman that much.

            Several days later, while Sesshomaru was tending to affairs of state, Inu Yasha was left to himself. The funeral had been awful for the child and he had found it very hard to think that his mother was indeed gone when she simply looked asleep. Lord Momaru had come home and was mourning in his den, leaving Inu Yasha to roam and Sesshomaru to run the country. The hanyou was wandering the halls, uninterested in any of his former hobbies or pastimes. He was tired, distant, and unhappy. He wouldn't eat, not that the chefs would feed him when Sesshomaru wasn't looking, and therefore had no energy except to breath. And above all, little Inu Yasha didn't care. He sat and leaned back against a wall in the entry way to the den tunnels. Inu Yasha was in a darkened corner, hidden from anyone coming or going. It was quite possible that he would have stayed there until he died except that fate had other ideas. 

                Beside the despondent child, a doorway opened, the door seeming to be part of the wall itself. Inu Yasha watched the door open, squinting against the sudden brightness. Blinded for several seconds, he missed the dark haired girl emerge from the semi-opened doorway. The new child knelt beside the hanyou, blocking the light coming from the door as it swung shut again. With a final scrape of stone on stone, the massive door shut, blending into the surrounding walls as if it had never existed.

                Inu Yasha blinked and looked at the new figure. "Who are you?" he asked, trying to stand up and having to use his tail to finally achieve his goal. The girl smelled different, was dressed differently, and was altogether unique. 

                "My name's Kagome." The girl said, smiling at him briefly before looking worriedly at the now invisible door. "What's your name?" 

                "Inu Yasha." He replied, his ears pricking up as he followed her gaze. "Pleased to meet you." Kagome nodded, chewing on her lower lip as she looked at the wall. She finally sighed, and tapped her staff on the ground as she stood. It was the first time Inu Yasha had noticed the wooden stick in her hand, the object several feet taller than its holder. Kagome looked at Inu Yasha and smiled again. Inu Yasha's stomach growled and Kagome's followed suit. They laughed embarrassingly together and Inu Yasha led the way to the kitchens, constantly looking over at the girl beside him while her staff clicked the floor in time to their steps. 

                "I like your ears." Kagome said shyly and Inu Yasha tugged the furry triangle. 

                "Err… thanks." He blinked, his tail flicking behind him. 

                "And a tail! Wow!" Kagome seemed very interested in these minor things. The girl looked the boy over, noting his clothing's white color. Kagome's exuberance slipped away and she stopped. She looked her companion over critically. "Inu Yasha, did someone die?"

                Inu Yasha stopped, looked back at the girl. It was strange; they had known each other for five minutes and yet the hanyou felt as if he had known the girl for much longer. Her scent was comforting, filling that need inside him for someone to share his grief with, to talk to and play with. In short, to comfort him and fill the gap his mother's death had left. "My mother died a few days ago."

                Kagome nodded sadly. "My daddy died a little while ago too." The two children looked at each other, an unspoken volume passing between them silently. They resumed walking and Kagome silently took Inu Yasha's hand, looking down at the floor as she blushed. The hanyou started, unfamiliar with the gesture but something inside him was willing to give it a try- an a little extra. Blushing and looking strait ahead Inu Yasha squeezed Kagome's hand while they walked to the kitchens. 

                "Call me Kago-chan." Kagome said suddenly, startling the hanyou child. Inu Yasha looked her over silently as their wanderings brought them closer to their destination.

                "Then you can call me Inu-chan." 

~

                "Kitori!" Taomaru pushed her out of harm's way just in time as an arrow narrowly avoided her body. He pulled her against him, shielding her from the chunks and clods of earth being turned up by friend and foe alike. The battle raged around them and no place was safe. Momaru in full dog form joined them a second later, protecting his brother and future sister-in-law from airborne threats. 

                Taomaru looked around the battle field, noting that there were a lot less dog demons around then there had been originally. They were loosing, he realized, getting slaughtered every step of the way. The best fighters and troops in all the Western Lands had been assembled for this battle and now their bodies littered the castle grounds like macabre lawn ornaments. The moans of the dying mixed with the roars of the fighting, combining to become one continuous pain filled background. 

                An explosion a few feet away churned up the ground, making dirt fly everywhere and rocks pelt those within range. Screaming filled the air and from above Kitori and Taomaru, something grabbed Momaru in mighty jaws, shaking and worrying the giant youkai like a toy. Snarling and barking filled the air as the couple changed forms, becoming their larger counterparts to aid their comrade. The two finished off the attacking enemy, a beast of some sort that looked like a jigsaw puzzle of youkai parts, and tried to gauge the extent of Momaru's injuries. 

                The white dog was not going to move for a while. Blood was all over the ground, staining the earth crimson. Tooth marks like giant holes dotted the normally glossy coat, red streams flowing from them. Above all was the wound along Momaru's back. The youkai's flesh had been ripped apart and Momaru's spine glistened wetly in the hazy air surrounding the trio. Even as Momaru's youkai healing powers began knitting the flesh back together, Taomaru knew that they were out of options, that his brother would have to take it easy unless he wanted to be permanently crippled. 

                "Kitori, my love," Taomaru barked, nuzzling her briefly while she licked Momaru's wounds. "Stay and keep him safe. I have an idea."

                "No!" Kitori's pale head shot up, her ears pricked forward in alarm. "Taomaru you can't! I know what you are going to do and you can't!" She bit his tail as he turned around, as he turned away from her. Her bite had enough pressure to get his attention. The dark youkai looked at her, his remaining eye pure bronze. Kitori knew that look, knew the determination written in every line of his face. He had an idea and nothing she said would sway him from it. Kitori's ears continued to scan for attackers as she let go of Taomaru's tail and moved forward to nuzzle his cheek gently. 

                It was a shame, she thought as she licked the red ruin that had once been one of his beautiful eyes. Though her tongue was rough, Taomaru purred for her, finally licking her face furiously. "I love you." He whispered and Kitori returned his words, licking him too. As Taomaru backed up and charged back toward the castle, Kitori was glad she was in her dog form- dogs didn't have tear ducks. She knew in her heart that she would never see him again and it saddened her greatly. She let out a soft bark, a low mournful sound, and resolutely stood over Momaru, defending him and herself from the new enemy. 

 Taomaru barged through the doors leading to the den tunnels, heading downwards as fast as his four legs could carry him. He knew the room he sought, knew the place it should be and the power to be found there. He also knew the price. The wolf dog had been researching the legend of the Dog Clan Guardian ever since he had heard of the Dark Army, eager to find a way to protect his family and his fiancé. Now, years later, Taomaru was the authority on myths and legends concerning the Western Lands, the Dog Clan, and almost everywhere else he had lived. 

He skidded to a stop, his nails stirring dust motes into the air as he shrank back down to his humanoid form. Taomaru pushed against the bare stone wall, determined to make the stone door move and allow him entrance into the Guardian's pool. At last the door moved, creaking loudly as it scraped against the stone floor. Taomaru slid inside the crack he had made and crossed the ancient cavern. He paused at the pool, looking down at the seemingly innocent surface, steam rising in a hazy cloud. Taomaru knew what would happen, knew that he would never leave this place, and didn't care. If it would save Kitori and Momaru, then it was worth it. With no further hesitation, Taomaru jumped into the pool, disappearing under the crystal blue water.


	13. Forgiveness

I own Tao, Momiji, and whatever other original characters I introduce into this madhouse- everyone else belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 12: Forgiveness 

            "Momiji!" I gasped. "You scared me!" I looked over the woman who I had seen moments before in my dreams. She looked the same, her once beautiful kimono splattered with spots of blood, torn and tattered. The woman herself wasn't the worst for wear- if it hadn't been for her clothes, I would never have guessed she had been fighting a loosing war with the Dark Army centuries before. Yup; change her clothes and she would be the ideal image of a queen. If the woman hadn't tried to kill me almost two weeks ago, I'd have stepped aside and let her take my place in this adventure. 

                "Many apologies, my lady." She ducked her head and I wondered where the hell the fierce warrior woman I had just been talking too had gone. She was vibrating with fear and it only made the room colder. I pulled the blanket tight and touched her hand on my shoulder, only to have it go through her hand. I groaned- I hated dealing with ghosts. I heard a scuffle outside the door and turned to pull the door open and see what was going on. Momiji grabbed my hair, a small tug that got my attention and I looked at her, annoyed.

                "Please don't go out there!" She pleaded. "The princes are fighting. We can protect you, just as we did Sesshomaru when he was younger." This conversation was moving way too fast for me. 

                "Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha are fighting?" I wanted to scream! I couldn't leave any body alone because they kept trying to kill one another! If things were as bad as I thought, I may take up Momiji's offer for protection. Wait. I blinked. "'Just like you protected Sesshomaru when he was younger.' Protect him how and from what?" Her tail twitched nervously.

                "I am just one of many ghosts that haunt this castle. When we wish to help someone and work together, we can make rooms change position." Momiji looked tragic. "We protected Sesshomaru this way from his father." Ah; that didn't help much. I really needed to talk to Taomaru and Sesshomaru; find out what the hell was going on. I rubbed my forehead, hugged my strangely aching sides and went back to the door, tugging at the large handle. I looked back at Momiji but she had disappeared. I shrugged and, after a lot of tugging, pulled the door wide. At last the heavy door swung toward me and I could see into the hallway. 

                "Oh, my God." 

                Sesshomaru felt a chunk taken out of his side, ignoring the fire of pain from the wound. He grabbed the red eyed Inu Yasha by the throat and hurled him into a wall with enough force that the youkai could hear multiple bones snap and break. If Inu Yasha had been human, he would have died from the damage, suffering from the broken bones, not being able to breathe with two punctured lungs, and a brain hemorrhage. Sesshomaru should have been a pitcher on a baseball team. 

                The demon Inu Yasha hit the wall and fell to the floor with a thud, ignoring his injuries and standing again. He panted, not from exertion but from the anticipation of fighting again. There was hot blood on his claws, all over his body, the liquid soaking into his already red yukata and staining it further. The only thing that mattered was that he had some one to fight, to tear apart and coat the slick floor with more blood. The sweet scent permeated the hall, adding fuel to the blood lust burning in Inu Yasha's blood. His blood pounded in his ears, full of adrenaline and that sweet song that only full demons heard, the dark nature inside them all that was excited by violence and carnage. Inu Yasha bared his fangs at his brother feeling no remorse whatsoever. Sesshomaru was just another opponent, another threat to Kagome, just another kill that would be one of many if they threatened his mate. 

                The pale youkai looked at his brother and stood himself, wishing that he had brought his swords with him. How had Kagome changed Inu Yasha back before? Sesshomaru wondered and tried to gain the information through the link they shared. He did not have time to find the answer, however, because Inu Yasha had recovered and was attacking again. There was nothing to be done about it; Sesshomaru would just have to kill the hanyou and deal with the aftermath. With the decision made, Sesshomaru faced Inu Yasha just as the latter lunged, claws out. With a quick kick to the hanyou's ribs, the attack was deflected enough that Sesshomaru moved out of Inu Yasha's way. As his brother passed by, Sesshomaru slashed his side and added momentum to the flying hanyou. At that moment, the door to Sesshomaru's den opened a bit and Kagome could be seen, her eyes and mouth wide in horror as she saw the scene. "Oh, my God." She said, horrified. 

                The girl was not stupid, something that Sesshomaru had worried about at times, and she ducked as the hanyou sailed over her head. A large thud could be heard, followed immediately by an angry growl, from the depths of Sesshomaru's room. "Inu Yasha!" Kagome cried and followed after him. Sesshomaru nearly slapped his head in disbelief. _Honestly; what idiot follows an enraged demon into a dark room? Sesshomaru wondered darkly and hurried after her. As the youkai proceeded, he felt a bit hurt that she hadn't gushed over his injuries as she had his brother's. He quickly pushed it aside, mystified that he wasn't leaving her to the fate she had earned. __Stupid girl! He raged as he crossed into his den and heard a small voice inside himself echo with a slightly different phrase. __Stupid Sesshomaru! The pale prince knew that the voice wasn't Kagome's or anyone else's- the voice was his own and it made him grit his teeth that he couldn't silence it. _

                Foot steps sounded behind him and noise came from in front. Sesshomaru snarled to himself in frustration and moved to one side, pausing to keep both areas in sight. The monk and exterminator slid to a stop, skidding on the blood covered floor. Sango grabbed Tetsusaiga from the floor and both she and Miroku warily stepped into the room as well. Sesshomaru sneered at them; they posed no threat to one such as him, couldn't hurt him without the hanyou distracting him. He heard Kagome and whipped his head toward her. He picked up Tenseiga as he passed by his swords and armor, venturing silently into the room. His wounds gave him no problem as he moved, his now shorted tail flicking the air behind him. He heard Inu Yasha growl quietly followed by Kagome squeaking, and then giggling. 

                _Giggling? What in all the hells? Sesshomaru made a gesture and all the lights in the room brightened, shedding ample light for all to see. His frown deepened when he finally saw who he was looking for. __At least he didn't land on the bed. Sesshomaru thought absently, his eyes on Inu Yasha as the hanyou proceeded to suck on Kagome's earlobe. The girl was squirming and trying to get him off, her lips tightly shut as she tried to stop giggling. She failed and giggled uncontrollably as Inu Yasha kissed down her neck, his arms securely around her waist and keeping her in his lap. The blood that had coated Inu Yasha- Sesshomaru's- was now over Kagome and even as she giggled at the attention she still looked slightly disgusted. _

                "Inu Yasha, no. No, stop!" Kagome said, pushing at his head. "I want to get up now." He held her tighter. "Your getting blood all over me!" she said, a note of whining entering her voice. "Please, Inu Yasha? Pretty please?" Kagome asked softly, her voice dropping to a seductive whisper, her hand fondling his furry ears. Sesshomaru let his sword hand fall to his side, wishing that he had picked up Toukijin instead. Watching the couple and listening to Kagome made him want to stab out his eardrums- more so when Inu Yasha began purring. 

                Sesshomaru growled, annoyed, and Inu Yasha spared him a glance before continuing to inch his way down Kagome's shirt, the girl protesting all the while. Kagome glared at Sesshomaru and sent him a mental command to shut the hell up. Beside the youkai, Sango and Miroku stood, the monk crouching on the ground with Tetsusaiga firmly in his hand. Ignoring the blush to Sango's cheeks, the exterminator was still ready for battle, her sharp eyes on Kagome, not Inu Yasha. Miroku was also watching Kagome, waiting for some signal Sesshomaru could not guess. He frowned, looking from the two humans to Kagome and Inu Yasha. 

                Kagome gasped as the hanyou's hands slipped under the hem of her nightgown. Anger flashed over her face, but she turned her upper body toward him for attention. Inu Yasha purred louder and kissed his way to the valley between her breasts as Kagome flushed as red as a tomato. As soon as his head was hidden and his hands busy, Kagome gestured to Miroku to give her the sword. The monk obeyed, sliding the sheathed blade over the smooth floor. The handle bumped against Kagome's leg and she picked it up, forcing it into Inu Yasha's hands. Sesshomaru watched Inu Yasha start then slump into Kagome's arms, Tetsusaiga still in his hands. 

                Kagome sighed loudly, letting herself fall on the floor, Inu Yasha coming with her. Sesshomaru took an alarmed step forward, ready to throw Inu Yasha off her. "God!" Kagome said, looking at the three in the door way. "That was too close. What set him off this time?" She lifted her head, looking over the hanyou's shoulder. She looked at Sesshomaru and motioned him over while she frowned and wiggled out from under her unconscious companion. She stood and stretched, unharmed and fine. Her wiggling had awakened the hanyou and Inu Yasha sat up, blinking sleepily. Disgusted with the whole scene but mostly with himself Sesshomaru sneered at her and walked off to his bathroom to clean up.

 "Get out of my room!" He snarled and disappeared into his bath room.

I sighed irritably and shrugged at Sango and Miroku. Inu Yasha climbed to his feet, looking around the room, at me and the blood on my body, and then looked that the red hallway. "I changed, didn't I?" he asked quietly, looking at the floor. I walked closer and rubbed his back soothingly. 

"Yah." I said. "But everyone seems to be okay." Inu Yasha jumped at my touch but stayed close. I could sense he was battling with himself but I kept my shields up because it would have been rude to eavesdrop. Finally he came to a decision. 

                "Kagome," He began unsure but hurried on to complete his thought. "I'm sorry about what happened, about everything. The thought of you with someone else drove me crazy and I know that's not fair but it's true." He looked up from the floor and looked at me with those beautiful golden eyes of his. He hugged me too him roughly, his face burrowing under my hair and resting against my neck. I was so surprised I gasped, unmoving in his arms.

                "I love you!" Inu Yasha whispered fiercely, the moment ruined by a mental snort in my head from Sesshomaru in his bath. On this one, I was with the disgusted youkai; Inu Yasha had jerked me around like a yo-yo and every time I had come back to him, quietly taking the emotional abuse. Somewhere in my head, I had drawn a line, a mark where I would not cross to take anymore. I stood in Inu Yasha's loving arms, the place I had wanted to be for so long and felt… empty. No emotion came out screaming for me to hug him back, to scream that I loved him too, or that I hated him after what had happened a little while ago. I waited, detached, and still felt nothing for him after several minutes.

                "Kagome?" the hanyou asked, pulling back to look me in the face. He shook me lightly when I still didn't respond. "Kagome, answer me."

                I felt bad as I spoke, him having laid his heart on his sleeve and all, but I had to be honest with him. "Inu Yasha, I can't answer you right now. I forgive you-all-" I looked at Sango and Miroku and gave them a bright smile which they warily returned. "For what happened and want to put it behind us. There is a war ridding down on the Western Lands that will run us over if we don't prepare for it. Relationships will have to wait." 

                Inu Yasha stared at me, his mouth moving for several seconds before he actually formed words.  "Kagome…" He had a pleading look in his eyes and now I did feel like I owed him something. I gave him a pathetic smile and hugged him gently; this time he was the stiff one. I let myself just be- no emotional conflicts, no worries, just being in that moment and feeling his warm body against mine. After a moment, he hugged me back, doing the same thing I was doing. _We win the war first, and then we'll continue discussing this, okay? I asked mentally. _

                _Okay. He agreed. __Can I still touch you? It was a strange question but appropriate after what had happened and all before we came to Sesshomaru's castle.  I thought about it then answered._

                _Yes, I said. __You can touch me like this but if you push it, or show me violence in any way, I will sit you so hard you will never__ get up again. I said meaning every word and making sure he knew I meant what I was telling him. If he attacked me, scratched me or bit me, I would sit him within an inch of his life and make sure he didn't get up anytime soon even after the spell ended. His arms tightened around me, picking me up briefly before setting me back on the ground. Inu Yasha understood his boundaries now and would hold to them like a gentleman. _

                We separated and spared each other a sad smile. A thought occurred to me and I looked at him seriously. "You are going to have to chill out while we are here. There have been, and undoubtedly will be more, times when I will have to exert some authority. Most of them will be scare tactics like the one with the bear; it wasn't really a youkai being blown apart, it just looked like it. As icy as Sesshomaru is-" again I heard an angry mental snort from the pale youkai. "He does have that point right: if we scare them enough, threats to us and any one else will back down- we just have to prove we're badder than they are."

                The hanyou nodded and the monk and exterminator looked thoughtful. They too nodded and both came over, giving me a hug each. I returned the gesture happily; I was being honest when I said I wanted to put the past behind us and work together again. The two excused themselves, saying that they had better check on things upstairs before we were all hunted down. I grinned and walked them out, Inu Yasha right beside me. I closed the doors to Sesshomaru's den behind us and watched Sango and Miroku turn the corner, walking out of sight. When they were gone, I led Inu Yasha back to the room I had been in earlier, pushing him into the bathroom and ordering him not to emerge until he was blood stain free. He balked, clearly unhappy with the command but I fondled his ears from behind, walking forward and pushing him with my body into the room. 

I set out shampoo, conditioner, and soap and told him he had to use all three before he could come out. I left, waiting until I heard him slip into the water, then raced inside and stole his clothes while he yelled at me to bring them back. I grinned and took the bloody clothing with me as I left the room completely, my bathing supplies piled on top of his yukata. In my head, Inu Yasha still grumbled unhappily but continued with his bath, unwilling to admit that the warm water felt _so good against his skin. I sent him a mental reminder about the things I had left out; he grumbled some more but picked up the soap and began scrubbing. I put up a shield to give him privacy and headed back to Sesshomaru's den- I wanted to check on him before I joined everyone upstairs._

 I went back up the hallway, did the tiptoe-through-the-blood dance and made it to the doorway with no blood on my feet. _I'm so talented. I thought as I shut the giant doors behind me-getting in and out of here was becoming easier all the time- and left Inu Yasha's clothing near them. As quiet as I could I crossed the room and tiptoed into the bathroom._

The bathroom was large, larger than the one in the room I had vacated. There were two pools in this one and a separate clean up area –like a half bath, I guess. The place was decorated with plants, their pots well hidden behind tile and brick flower beds. The plants screened parts of the bathing pools from each other, adding that element of privacy that would, in this case, prevent a fight and unnecessary embarrassment. Sesshomaru was lounging in the hot water, his back to me. I couldn't see what he was doing, if anything, but I wasn't worried- I'd spare him his modesty and look at the ceiling. I kneeled behind him and he didn't react, too absorbed in his own thoughts. In fact, I don't think he knew I was there at all; there was a faint scent of something clean in the steaming air that had to be masking me from his nose. It was puzzling as he sat there and continued to act as if I didn't exist- I mean, this was Sesshomaru; he should have heard me coming a mile away or at least sensed me long before now. I set my bathing supplies quietly on the floor and peered around his body to look at his face. I managed to stifle a gasp when I finally saw him but it took more effort than was pretty. 

He was asleep, at last pausing enough to relax from his hectic day. He looked so innocent, so peaceful, so freaking different from when he was awake that thinking this was the same man was difficult. My eyes strayed lower and now I could see the damage he had taken when Inu Yasha, Sango and Miroku had all attacked him when they thought he had raped me- nope, that little bit of info had not escaped me when I was in Inu Yasha's head. Sesshomaru's side had been slashed open- enough so that I could see an internal organ that I had no desire to identify. His shoulder had been ripped to pieces, jagged red lines marking where claws and teeth had torn into him. He had deep parallel lines running down his well defined abdominal muscles; Inu Yasha must have made a lucky swipe. I didn't want to look any lower than that but my eyes strayed down before I could stop them- looking for wounds, honest. I blushed when I saw how endowed he was, traced his long legs and then I saw his shortened tail. I winced visibly because I was sure that that injury had had to hurt the most. An animal's tail was, after all, an extension of their spinal cord, complete with all the nerves that implied; in a youkai it was probably the same way. 

I dipped my hands in the hot spring, my eyes firmly on Sesshomaru's face. He didn't wake or stir when I pulled them out and touched his undamaged shoulder. I sat back, changing to sitting with my legs folded and crossed in front of me, and picked up the extra bar of soap I had brought with me. I wet it, soaped up my hands, and hesitantly set about washing Sesshomaru's shoulders. The muscles in his damaged shoulder were spasming madly under the skin. I watched them jump and twitch, realizing that they weren't reacting to my touch but to the healing process taking place out of sight. Sesshomaru's youkai healing powers were awake and doing their job but were doing it so fast the surrounding tissue couldn't keep up. I massaged the flesh gently, but firmly, and the muscles under my fingers calmed down. I continued to massage his skin, both damaged and undamaged alike, as I continued to wash him. 

When I had finished with the exposed skin- I was _not going any further- I turned to his hair. I scanned my supplies and found the travel sized container of shampoo and conditioner. Looking at the long strands, I doubted that either bottle would go as far as it was needed. Oh well; too late to go get more now. I shrugged to myself and began carefully pulling Sesshomaru's hair out from between his back and the wall of the hot spring. With a free hand I pulled up my nightgown enough to expose my legs. I slide one leg on either side of Sesshomaru, far enough away so my skin didn't bump his, and went back to pulling out his hair.  I used hair clips to pin up the damp mass I did get free, holding my breath each time I did so because I was afraid the teeth of the clip would dig into his scalp and wake him. As I got closer to his back, to his skin, Sesshomaru grunted unhappily._

He shifted and I waited for him to resettle himself. I frowned and stopped blocking myself from him as much. I didn't interrupt his dream or intrude upon it. Instead I listened more to what his body was telling me. I could feel his injuries distantly; feel that he felt better with me touching him. I frowned, rolling my shoulders because they had begun to hurt. I stopped freeing Sesshomaru's long hair and instead began moving it until I could see his back clearly. There, right across one shoulder and diagonally downward to the opposite hip was a deep gash where I guess Sango must have used her boomerang against him. I winced, looking at the rawness of it. 

It was amazing the amount of damage Sesshomaru had taken, not because he couldn't defend against it, but just to avoid having to kill Inu Yasha or seriously wounding Sango or Miroku. It was why he had thrown the latter two down the hall rather than attack them straight out. It was bizarre, in all honesty, that Sesshomaru had allowed them to get that close at all; it would have been much easier to kill them all and bury the bodies later than to put up with their antics. It was a merciless way of dealing with things, but then, Sesshomaru was merciless- or at least I thought he had been. Now, I was just plain confused by his new behavior.

Getting back to the situation at hand, I wondered if I could get Sesshomaru to turn at all. Just as I was thinking it, Sesshomaru shifted again, this time sinking lower in the water and resting his head on my thigh. I suppressed the urge to squeak in surprise and concentrated on what I was doing. I took out all the hair clips, setting them aside as I wet his hair as gently as I could. When the warm mass was wet enough I picked up the shampoo bottle and began washing his hair. Sesshomaru sighed – hopefully in contentment- and rubbed his cheek against my leg, purring quietly. The sound vibrated up my leg and made my scalp prickle as I worked. I ignored him as best possible and continued, pulling his hair away from those delicately pointed ears of his and away from his eyes; I doubted he would enjoy having soap in either area. I finished and began the arduous task of rinsing all the soap out. 

                I sighed, loosing myself in the mindless task, starring at the ceiling. My neck got a crick in it and I closed my eyes, rotating my neck to ease the pain. I yawned a little too loudly and immediately regretted it, glancing down at Sesshomaru guiltily. He had stopped purring but remained passive as my hands worked. Most of the soap was gone but I still had to rinse off his head and the only way to do that was to either dunk him under the water or dump water on top of him. I rinsed off my hands and wondered how to proceed; I didn't want to wake Sesshomaru yet- if he didn't move on his own, I'd have to wake him to free my leg. I scratched my cheek absently and it pulled away with red flakes. 

                I looked at my hand, disgusted that I had forgotten about how dirty I was and touched my blood smeared body. "Ugh, gross." I muttered, looking around the room for a wash cloth or something to clean my hand on or in. I didn't want to use the same water Sesshomaru was bathing in and sure as hell didn't want to touch his hair again with my now red hand. I leaned back, trying to snag a towel or cloth behind me. 

                "Here." A soft voice whispered and I jumped as a wet cloth touched my hand. For a heart stopping moment I thought it was Sesshomaru, but then I saw Momiji's transparent image. I breathed again, sitting up and glaring at her.

                "You have to stop sneaking up on me!" I whispered irritably. I used the washcloth and cleaned my hand, rubbing it against my cheek as well. I was going to need a bath after I was done here, there was no doubt about that; now all I had to do was finish Sesshomaru's hair. "Thank you." I said as an afterthought, watching her smile shyly. 

                "The hanyou has been given new robes and servants are taking care of the hallway." Momiji said, grimacing. She looked at Sesshomaru thoughtfully, kneeling on the damp floor without hesitation. A good thing about being dead, I guess, was that you never had to worry about your clothes getting dirty or wet. She smiled down at her descendent, touching him with a phantom hand. "He's so gentle inside and yet never shows it." She looked at me. "Except when you are around." 

                I shrugged, placing the cloth on the floor and started cupping water in my hands and dribbling it over Sesshomaru's head. What I needed was a cup or a bucket perhaps. _Sesshomaru, can you dunk your head under for a moment? I nudged him mentally. It was worth a shot; after all, I wasn't ordering him to do anything, just asking him nicely. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, etc., etc. To my surprise, Sesshomaru took a deep breath and his head slid under the surface. After a few seconds of blinking, I scrubbed his hair under the water, getting all the soap out. I glanced over at Momiji and found that she had disappeared again. I couldn't use nails, but one day I was going to somehow pin her feet to the floor- did glue work on ghosts?_

                The youkai surfaced with his back to me, shaking his head and drenching me in the process. He blinked, turning around and looking at me puzzled. "What are you doing here Kagome?" 

Notes:

Well, here's another chapter everyone and thank you for indulging my weirdness in reference to last chapter. The point of it all was to add a bit more depth to Kagome, Inu Yasha, Sesshomaru and Taomaru. As we all know, no person ever has one side; we all have many facets that we show to different people depending on how comfortable we feel with another individual. Most of this will pop up later so keep a look out on it and other clues.

                Anyway! Moving back into the normal…if we can call it that… plot line, I'm betting that there are a few questions from people. I must warn you that it is important to keep things straight because otherwise you will be totally and utterly confused. For those of you who have written me and are cursing my name due to the slow response time, let me interrupt you and humbly apologize. Due to no phone line at home, I am having to constantly hunt for other computers with internet access to post. Once again, I am very, very sorry and please continue writing me- I will reply, I swear!

                Hmm, so Kagome's gone and woken up Sesshou in the tub. Hm ::shakes her head and returns from her thoughts:: I know that it's very confusing as to who Kagome will end up with and, in truth, I'm not so sure anymore. Personally, I'm okay with any match up as long as there's ample evidence to support it- not just poof! Kagome and so-and-so are together. ::shrugs:; that's probably why this story swings back and forth so much, but hey, love is never a smooth road- if it was, I don't think it'd be as wonderful as it can be. But that's just what I think. Bear with me everyone because things are going to stay this way for a while- don't worry! Inu will get some Kagome time too very shortly. Be prepared to have the Inu world flipped inside out and upside down- remember your seat belts because this could get ugly and fast. 


	14. Making Waves

Legal: No, Inu Yasha isn't mine- if he was, I wouldn't have to worry about school now would I?

Chapter 13: Making Waves

I smiled nervously, guiltily. "Uh, washing your hair?" I blushed bright red and screwed my eyes shut when I realized just where my line of sight was. I had assumed that Sesshomaru was sitting on a ledge or some other kind of seat under the water, when he stood that assumption was shattered; suddenly my line of sight wasn't on his face but below his waist. That's right boys and girls; I had had an up close and personal look at his manliness. I heard water splash and a low chuckle in my head as he dunked under again and ran his hands through his hair to wet it. Not needed now, I covered my eyes with my hands and waited until Sesshomaru finished. I freed one hand and felt around the floor for the conditioner bottle. 

                "Sesshomaru," I mumbled when he came up again. I held out the bottle and waited for him to take it. He took it from me, saying nothing but I felt curiosity and amusement emanating from him while I took my hand back and covered my eyes again. I kicked my feet in the water idly, wondering how long it would take me to go get a bath and dress again. I sighed through my nose, dropping my hands and folding my arms across my chest. I kept my eyes closed as I sat there blushing as red as a cherry, listening to Sesshomaru move about in his bath. 

                Inu Yasha, I sensed, was moving about in his room, combing through my bag for whatever he was looking for. I smiled to myself, betting he was after my ramen to satisfy his hunger. I wondered what Sango, Miroku and Shippo were up to upstairs, how they were getting along with everyone. I reached out mentally to Taomaru and found him sitting on the roof of the castle, looking over the landscape as the sun began its decent and keeping guard in his own way. That brought me back to the attack we were facing and I frowned. 

                Sesshomaru had begun the lengthy job of setting up the attacks and defenses I had mapped out. Even as I sat here, Jaken was overseeing everything with the scrutiny of a slave driver- at least the little twit was good for something. We were going to need more than just good attacks and defense- like a hell of a lot of luck. We would have to play dirty and booby trap the area. I scratched my head; now if I only knew how to do that. I had to take a look at the boxes I had brought with me- though I had picked through them I hadn't really been taking stock of their contents; all of them had something useful but it was a matter of finding that specific use. One thing was for sure, I needed to find my dad's bike and the emergency generator. With the generator as a power source, I could use extension cords, hook the lamps together and light this place up like a beacon.

                Okay, now for traps… damn. I yawned, resting my chin on my fist, losing myself to my thoughts. The only real threat I could come up with was the three tanks of gasoline upstairs. I could spread it over the ground and light it with an arrow but gasoline evaporated very fast. I didn't know if the fumes would stay around long enough to do any damage. And there was no guarantee that our troops wouldn't be caught in the flames. Arg! I growled in frustration; this was so hard! Alright, fire was out unless it was up close. Maybe if we could launch one of the tanks or just small containers filled with the flammable liquid over the Dark Army and shoot it full of holes so it showered the soldiers and _then used a flaming arrow to light them. Hmm... That was a bit excessive. Maybe covered pits? I wasn't cut out for this kind of work; I was too compassionate (or at least had been until I started renting room in my head with the dog demons) and planning ways to kill people made my skin crawl- this after I over killed fifty a few hours ago. __Sheesh, Kagome; get a grip! I chided myself angrily. I sighed again and slumped, defeated._

                _You need a break, my lady. I jumped in surprise when Sesshomaru sounded in my head. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into the water while I shrieked. _

                "Let me go! No; wait!" I pushed at him, grabbing the rim of the tub and trying to stop his momentum. "What are you doing?!" I lost my hold and Sesshomaru just waded out further, eventually just touching the sloping bottom with his toes. I could only hold onto him, waiting until he got tired of me and let me go. I was soaked and hot and _really worried, entertaining all sorts of unhappy scenarios- none of which I would enjoy. I felt Sesshomaru's tail curl around my waist and hold enough weight that my head was above the water line. We were out almost too deep for my liking. but for the dog demon, I guess it was fine. With his arms free, Sesshomaru swept his arms languidly in the water, his legs moving like scissors beneath him to keep us both afloat. _

_A bath, my lady?  Sesshomaru asked, saving his breath for swimming and simply whispering in my head. _

I frowned at him angrily. "Yes, Fluffy now let me go and I'll go get one." This was the last time I decided to be helpful without reason- every one just kept playing with me because of it. I should have stayed in my room with Inu Yasha; at least I knew how to deal with the hanyou. Sesshomaru cocked his head at me and I wondered if he was still suffering from his accidental endorphin rush; he sure as hell wasn't feeling any pain from the injuries he'd sustained or the headache he had been suffering from earlier. I pushed at him lightly- I didn't want to be around if he felt like cuddling again. His tail tightened around me and kept me in place. I was stuck until he was done. Of course, what he would be done with was what bothered me. I looked around, hoping to find something to free myself with.

                Lips touched mine when I turned and I gasped in surprise. I jerked away from Sesshomaru, pulling my head away and blinking. I started backstroking, getting a few inches between us so I could use my legs and kick. The demon lord let me swim a foot away, me dragging his weight and mine, then pinned me back against him. He stood, his feet firmly on the bottom, and pressed me against his chest, kissing me as if he'd eat me from the mouth down. His hands slid up my back, under the soaking cloth of my nightgown, his fingers kneading the muscles along my spine. His skin was hot, hotter than the water we were in and it was as if his fingers had a direct link to my nerves. Sesshomaru's touch sparked something inside of me, a part that was pure woman and completely sexual in nature. It wasn't a spell or any kind of outside power except for the natural attraction a woman has for a man. It was exciting and frightening how much I wanted to kiss him back, wanted him to touch me, his skin against mine.

                I was appalled at myself- I never though this way about Inu Yasha! Sure I had a sexual attraction for the hanyou but it paled to transparency in comparison to my attraction to Sesshomaru. I had wanted to be held by Inu Yasha, to find comfort and welcome in his arms; with Sesshomaru I just wanted to feel him inside me, to really find out how good a lover he was. The youkai kissed me harder and his hands moved from my back to my ribs, dangerously close to my breasts. I gasped and Sesshomaru growled low in his throat- he wasn't threatening me or angry; it was a particularly male sound. I needed air and Sesshomaru moved to my neck, biting along my pulse and then nibbling on my collar bone. 

                Think, Kagome, think! The problem was that I couldn't think while Sesshomaru touched me- his thoughts were overriding any coherent thoughts. That wasn't to say he wasn't thinking coherently- on the contrary, Sesshomaru was thinking about the information he was receiving from his senses. I tasted good, my skin felt soft against his, and most importantly I smelled _wonderful to the youkai. He could hear my heart beating, could hear my blood pumping from his touch. It had been a long time for Sesshomaru and he'd forgotten about all the little niceties of the female body, but I didn't think anything would have made him touch a human! I blinked, panting for air as his hands finally closed that small gap and he cupped my breasts, his thumbs teasing my nipples. _

                Human! That was the answer! "Sesshomaru?" I swallowed thickly and pulled his head back to me. He blinked unfocused amber eyes at me, looking confused. "Sesshomaru, I'm human." I said, a hand on either side of his face and forcing him to look me in the eye. He frowned and used his incredible strength to pull away from me, pick me up and spin me around, pinning my back against his chest. He wrapped his left arm around my waist and trapped my arms while his right arm crossed my upper chest. His shortened tail curled around my legs, making it impossible for me to kick away. His head buried under my hair, nuzzling my neck again and making my skin break out in goose bumps. He growled softly, whispering in my ear, a curtain of his wet white hair obstructing the rest of the bathroom from view. 

                "Your friend Sango is human," Sesshomaru whispered vehemently. "My daughter Rin is human. Those boys from the village are human. The monk Miroku is cursed but even he is human."  

                I didn't like where this was going. "I'm human." I said, my voice tiny and hollow. I was saying it, I wanted to believe it but somehow I knew that Sesshomaru was right. Along the way, my life had taken its own road. The more power I manifested, mine or one of theirs, was making me wander further and further from the human path. I was Kagome, but a growing part of me doubted I was still human anymore- especially with recent events. That didn't mean I wanted to hear him say it, however. "I'm human." I said again with more force.

                "No!" Sesshomaru bit my neck, his fangs drawing blood. I gasped and tried to pull away, wriggling against him. "You are not human, Kagome, you are a miko! You are more than a mere human!" His words rang true in my head and through all the sensation clamoring through my body, one screamed loudest: loss. It was true- I knew it, he knew it, hell everyone must have known it- but part of me didn't _want to know it. I had been clinging to my last shred of normality with tooth and claw and now even that tiny scrap was gone. I was Kagome Higurashi, a miko, a Jr. high school student, daughter, friend, and lover if Sesshomaru got his way, but I was not human. I was many things but no; human was not one of them, not anymore._

                The youkai nuzzled my neck, his tongue flicking out and sealing over the wound he had created. I simple stood there, unresponsive. My thoughts chased each other, threatening to overwhelm me and send me screaming into a corner somewhere, never to stop. Did Inu Yasha know? He had a sharp nose, had been the closest thing I had to a friend in this time. He had had the most contact with me through all sorts of different adventures; if anyone would have picked up on it, it should have been the hanyou- not Sesshomaru who only knew me through passing. 

                I felt myself being shaken and didn't care. My world had been shaken and stirred, again- the second time in the space of a few hours- and by god I deserved some sympathy! I wasn't human now but had I ever been? I had always been treated as something more by my father when he had been alive; even though I had buried those memories, that impression still made itself known. My dad had been teaching me a form of dance that was supposed to raise and control power but I didn't know if that power was supposed to come from me or from some sort of outside force. 

                Sesshomaru called my name, trying to draw me out of my reverie and away from the growing panic clawing at my heart. I slammed up shields, not wanting anything to do with anybody. Every time I let them in, anyone in, I got hurt in some manner. The solution to this was to not let anyone in again ever but, if I wasn't human in body, I was in mind- small comfort that it was. My personality was human and humans loved- it was an emotion that defined our species, from one extreme to another and I could not shut the feeling away permanently. In a while my heart would heal itself and someone else would find his way into my heart, be it for a few days or many years- someone always found a way around the armor we wore. It was a hope filled, but also depressing, thought. 

                There was a saying among the older girls in my school, whispered in passing by the girls in the graduating class who had traveled love's rocky path: Don't confuse lust with love. Some girls followed the statement with; Lust is so much easier and fun. I hadn't understood either saying until this moment, but in Sesshomaru's arms and with Inu Yasha quietly moving in my head, I got it. I leaned back against the youkai, looking up at the hazy ceiling and contemplated the simple meanings and how they related to my situation and me.

                Lust was the desire for someone sexually. In lust, love could be a factor or not (more often not) but physical attraction was always there. Two people could be completely incompatible in every way except when it came to sex- then they got along just fine. That relationship could be taken a step further: you could have a friend as a lover and still not be emotionally attached to him in any other way except plutonic. In other words, your lover could be your friend, you confidant, and your port in a storm but yet not be your romantic interest.  In terms of the two brothers, Sesshomaru fit the bill. He was physically attractive and interested in me as a bedmate but probably not more than that. He was the more sensual of the two; not necessarily more romantic, just more carnal- the candy you wanted but couldn't have.

                Love was more nebulous an idea. It was harder, more demanding, but had many more rewards if all went well. Your love interest, boyfriend/ girlfriend, could be your best friend, your confidant, your psychologist, and your bedmate- anything and everything you ever wanted. That person would be by your side, would protect you, would love you for who you were, not what you could do. The physical effects of love were also intriguing- people in love had better immune systems, were more confident, more fun to be around; a host of positive side effects that made the world seem like a better place. But just as there was a good side, there was also a down side. Love if unrequited made days seem longer, the world colder because you knew, somewhere inside, that your object of affection would never pay any attention to you. You would never be their special someone- I smiled wryly- never be their cuddle bunny and would most likely have to watch them become a couple with someone else; someone not you. And yet, because of love and the fact that the emotion could not be destroyed ever, you still hoped that one day, one day, they would wake up and turn to you and hug you, telling you that they love you. 

                Yah; all that was Inu Yasha territory. I sighed, ignoring Sesshomaru and the single tear that fell from my eye. The funny thing was that Inu Yasha had admitted he loved me; my heart fluttered at the aspect but my head was wary. He said it now, after Sesshomaru had expressed an interest in my body, and also when Kikyo was far, far away. Hmm... Food for thought; he could say it in private and when his claim on me was threatened but other than that he ignored me- and through it all my heart pounded with the knowledge that he loved me in some way.  Sesshomaru had the keys to my libido and Inu Yasha had the keys to my heart- there was no way I would survive being bonded to either. I frowned, my anger getting the best of me, and smashed the water's surface with my fist. _Damn him! I screamed in my head._

                I voiced that scream when I felt myself being lifted up into the air. The sound ricocheted off the tiled interior and amplified until even I was deaf. Sesshomaru threw me and my body flew through the air as I screamed, struggling all the while. I finally splashed down in the deeper end of the bath and sank from the force. I came up sputtering, blinking and spitting water. I gulped air and tried to calm my racing heart. I gasped, glaring angrily at Sesshomaru, who was standing in the water, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked bored! When I was through making sure I wouldn't drown I paddled toward him with sure strokes. When I was close enough I began yelling at him in outrage.

                "What the fuck do you think you are doing?!" I screamed at him, watching with an odd sense of satisfaction as he winced. "I could have drowned! What if you had thrown me into a wall, then what would you do?" Still looking extremely bored with me and my yelling, he dropped his arms back in the water. He sighed, rolling his eyes as I approached and then splashed me with a wave of the liquid. I pushed my hair out of my eyes and stared at him in shock. 

                _Don't be silly; I would not allow harm to come to you. He frowned at me. __At least you aren't depressed anymore. Sesshomaru's voice whispered through my mind sulkily. My jaw dropped as I watched him watch me. He finally sniffed at me arrogantly, suppressing a smile as he turned his back on me and began wading toward the rim of the bath. I stared and then laughed. _

                "You miserable beast!" I laughed and splashed water at him. I hurried forward and grabbed him by the tail when it tickled my feet. I pulled him, inadvertently tugging him backward into the water. He toppled, flailing madly in a vain attempt to regain his balance. I grinned when he went under and then jumped on him when he surfaced. I covered his eyes to blind him and wrapped my legs around his shoulders. Sesshomaru snarled and pulled at my legs but didn't hurt me. I growled at him playfully, knowing he would hear it, and kept thoughts of fun in my head to show him I meant no harm, that I wasn't a threat even though I was technically attacking him.

                He paused, cocking his head to one side and trying to look up at me. I kept my hands over his eyes and he frowned. _So you wish to play, do you my lady? He teased and I knew I wasn't going to like however he retaliated. He started moving toward the deep end of the bath and I tried using my weight to tip him over. I squealed, laughing and splashing water as I kicked._

 "No!" I howled, laughing. "Noooo!" I heard a noise come from Sesshomaru's den and I looked that way, wondering who could be showing up now. I tried to see past the mist but, in a move only a youkai could pull off, Sesshomaru dove under the steaming surface and I had to let go of him or be dragged out into deep water again. 

                I surfaced, swimming back into shallow water. I grabbed the rim of the bath, intending to jump out and run from the room before he could catch me. It didn't work out that way unfortunately. I did make it to the rim, had pulled my self out at least partway, when I saw who had entered Sesshomaru's den. I stared at Inu Yasha as he strode across the floor and stood in the door way to the bathroom. We stared at each other for a few seconds before strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me backwards. 

                "Little minx!" Sesshomaru yelled and dragged me back into the water, dropping me in an unceremonious heap in the deeper end. I began treading water in an instant and the youkai merely arched a brow at me. I frowned and began splashing water at him as fast as I could, effectively starting the water fight. He let out a shout, blocked with his arms and then sank into the water, coming up underneath me and lifting me high in the air. I squealed in surprise then laughed as he started tickling me. As strange as the whole thing was, it was something I should have expected; as Inu Yasha and I adopted more and more of Sesshomaru's personality into our own, little by little the youkai was experiencing our humanity, our emotions. It had allowed us to be able to lapse into that bored posture and become indifferent to what was going on around us while Sesshomaru could now empathize better with other people- enough so that he wanted to cheer me up after our depressing conversation about my humanity, or lack there of. It was actually quite touching- more so considering the source.

                I heard a tearing sound and felt my nightgown fall away. "Hey!" I yelled and squirmed until he dropped me. Inu Yasha, finally recovering from his shock at the whole scene echoed my shout. I disappeared under the surface and, instead of coming up right away; I stayed underwater and swam to the shallow end. Blushing, I popped my head out of the water, my arms securely around my breasts for modesty. 

                Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru were glaring at each other further down the bath, one in the water, the other standing on the side. Both dog demons were growling at each other and the top of Sesshomaru's tail danced above the surface, twitching angrily. Uh oh. I dropped my barriers a little and paid careful attention to Inu Yasha. Call it instinct, call it great intuition, or just call it phenomenal luck, but I had a feeling that the hanyou's temper was going to get the best of him. I dropped almost all of my barriers between him and I except a thin shield, figuring that that would be enough if anything happened.

I didn't know what I was doing or what I hoped I'd be able to do but I tried anyway, feeling my magic widen the link between the hanyou and me. Immediately I was assaulted by images, jagged and fractured, of Sesshomaru and I. It was then I realized that, even though we all had our shields up, information still passed between us- information being memories from the person's point of view. On the heel of those images, Inu Yasha's demon side roared over me and into me. I whimpered in fear and clutched at my splitting head. 

                I used my magic to fight Inu Yasha's power, feeling it claw and roar in rage inside my body. I concentrated harder feeling it being pushed back. I ground my teeth and screwed my eyes shut, just pushing at Inu Yasha's power and trying to make it calm down. A hand toughed my shoulder and I screamed at the burning touch, pulling away and tripping over my uncoordinated feet. I fell in the water and surfaced sputtering. In the few seconds that elapsed, Inu Yasha's power had gained ground and was fighting full out. I stumbled to the rim and collapsed against it, turning my thoughts internally to keep my sanity. 

                Inu Yasha's power was simply power in its most undiluted form: raw, virtually untapped, and primal. It was savage in its ferocity; like a living animal trapped inside my flesh- an angry, scared animal with sharp claws and big teeth. It slashed and screamed in anger, trying to find and outlet where it could escape and relieve its pain- or revel in the pleasure of killing. It fought my attempts to subdue it, unwilling to submit to my touch until it felt safe. I lay on the tiled floor screaming weakly, unable to move or see, and fought Inu Yasha's power. I could feel it try a different tactic- a Sesshomaru tactic possibly- and it purred, making my blood hum. It had taken on a more coaxing approach: Please, it cooed, please let me out, please let me show you the joy I can bring- like a wet dog pawing the door to be let in out of the rain that would kill you once it saw you. 

                 The worst part of it all was that I couldn't let it out, couldn't let it go because it would just crawl back inside Inu Yasha and make him transform. If he transformed again, there was nothing that could bring him back to the loveable hanyou we all knew and loved- not Tetsusaiga, not a blow from Sesshomaru, not me. Inu Yasha would be gone forever, always seeking out opponents until the day he died. I could not let that happen, would not let that happen, so I let his power claw at my insides and even asked for more. Until it calmed back down to normal, all of the hanyou's demon power was dangerous so I drained that power, taking all of it into myself. I wasn't human, but I wasn't demon either; I didn't know if my magic would do anything or if I'd simply explode when the pressure became to great, but I was willing to try anyway to save Inu Yasha.

                _Fighting won't work! Taomaru's voice made my head hurt. __Inu Yasha's power is used to fighting- try something else! _

                I mentally frowned at him and was glad he couldn't hear my verbally- I wasn't up to talking anyway. _So the great one decided to share his wisdom, I said darkly. __Where the hells are you and why didn't you say something earlier? My body spasmed, making my spine bow out. I panted, wanting to scream but not willing to. If I took the time to do so then Inu Yasha's power would gain in power while I was distracted. _

                Taomaru snarled at me. _I am upstairs taking care of a small palace revolt and a hotheaded wolf youkai who insists he knows you. I felt him try and quell his own power and calm down. __Kagome, you have to try something else, any type of fighting won't help. _

                I coughed and felt something ooze from my lips- please let it be water. _Wolf youkai? Medium height and build, dark hair, really fast?_

_                Um, yah. Taomaru said in surprise. __How did you know? _

                I curled on my side, little shockwaves spreading through my limbs and making them jerk. I stopped fighting Inu Yasha's power gradually, slowly backing off and leaving it alone for the moment. _His name's Kouga, I whispered quietly. __We all know him- he and Inu Yasha are rivals in fighting. He's generally sweet, but not very bright. I shuttered, feeling suspicious claws poke the walls of my body- Inu Yasha's power trying to assess the situation. Taomaru had been right- if I didn't fight it, the hanyou's power didn't know what to do. It only knew that it was trapped inside me with no outlet. Inu Yasha's power wasn't happy with the arrangement, but it wasn't being harmed, or bothered, so for the moment I was all right. _

                Something soft touched me gingerly, lying against my exposed skin warily. I touched it, feeling down the softness to figure out what it was. I blinked sightless eyes wondering why I suddenly couldn't see. I touched my face, prodding gently less I poke out my eyes or something, searching for anything that could be covering my eyes. Nothing was touching me except the soft thing and that was on my chest. A stirring of panic ran through me, making Inu Yasha's power restless. I was blind and I didn't know why.

Notes:

Ack! I'm sorry this chapter was so late! No school one day, work and a math final (::moans:: it was so awful!) delayed any posting. Once again, very, very sorry about that. 

                I'm betting that a lot of you are out there blinking at he computer and asking yourselves just what this extremely weird woman is up to. ::shrugs:: Me too.  For a bit, this story is going to be a bit strange. Does everyone remember that a few chapters back, I put in my two cents about magic? I said that magic cannot be pinned down exactly when it was being described (or at least that was what I meant) which basically means that all the magic bits and descriptions will be done primarily from Kagome's point of view. 

                I do the more vague scenes from Kagome's POV because, well, Kagome doesn't know what's what about magic (Neither do I for that matter ::sighs::) and like most people, Kagome will work through a situation as it relates to her. I think it gives a more believable approach, personally, but that's just me and if anyone ever reads my little dribble section, they should know that I can be very round about with my reason and explanations. ::scratches her head::: Probably why I'm not very popular at school. Eh.

                 Anyway! For the next chapter or two (I'm not sure) I'm asking for a suspension of disbelief. Just take it as it comes- I'll explain everything later. Speaking of explanations, how about a few tidbits?

1) The dream youkai from Sick days is Momiji, the dead first Guardian of the dog clan- the lady who started Kagome's involvement. She initially caused some major problems for Inu Yasha and Kagome, and Sesshomaru later on, not the least of which was a slight rift in Inu's head. (Remember how strange he was in reality- completely different from the one Kagome dealt with in the dream mesh.) Did she do it to protect her former kingdom from its ancient threat or did she set the cogs of fate in motion for other reasons? 

2) The current Guardian of the Western Lands is Taomaru, brother of Momaru the former Demon Lord. He is the uncle of Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha and wants to protect his nephews to the best of his capability. The only drawback to that however is that, before Kagome woke him up in the dream mesh, he was at deaths door. To aid his family now, he draws on Kagome's blossoming powers to feed his strength both physically and magically. To do this, Taomaru shares a bond with Kagome but is this bond similar to the mating bond between the she, Sesshou and Inu, or is it different? The two have gotten along better than expected considering that they met just recently- is there something more afoot?

3) Sesshomaru, Inu Yasha, and Kagome are all bonded together and said bond is pulling them tighter together mentally. Though a highly unlikely combination, the strange trio may be the ultimate defense against the enemy looming on the horizon- if they can live long enough. Of the three, Kagome seems the hardest hit by the effects of the bond between them and at times seems the only one affected. If a bond meant to bring two mates closer together is causing damage such damage when it is not complete, what will it do to her when it is finally cemented and the two are joined permanently?

On another note, Inu Yasha is acting quite odd and this will be explained later in depth (more round about explanations, sorry) so please wait a bit then you can yell at me. Momiji's meddling and the dream mesh as knocked something loose inside the hanyou, leaving Inu more irrational than usual. Again, this will be explained later!  

4) And let's not forget about the three lords skulking about and causing trouble. These three are not to be trusted and will turn upon those they have sworn allegiance to as soon as they sense weakness. A plot to take the throne was hatched long ago, leading to a few innocents being lost in the struggle. Who could be behind it? The lords intend to take charge- one way or another- and they aren't near out of tricks by any stretch of the imagination. Come hell or high water, fair or foul, they want the Dog Clan throne. 


	15. Divided

Legal: ::waves her hand dismissively:: You know the drill. 

Chapter 14: Divided

The three Lords- Shumir, Baskama, and Kimitsu- had decided that Sesshomaru was too much of a liability to lead in the battle. Quietly and slowly, they began exerting their authority as defacto leaders while Sesshomaru was indisposed. They had 'taken care of' Jaken- locking his unconscious body in a guest room's closet- along with Kagome's plans for the castle and her useless notebook. Currently they were organizing troops the way the lords _thought things should be. _

                They were in the yard, lecturing about loyalty- an irony in itself since they were plotting against their own ruler- and punishment for betrayal. As it was, deserters would be killed and then their families would also suffer the same fate. No more food would be given out until after the battle had been fought and won- Lord Baskama thought the troops were getting pudgy with all the sudden, though much needed protein. Lord Shumir had promptly agreed, feeling annoyed that the ration of one meal a week was not enough for these lowly scum. This statement had been followed with Lord Kimitsu's two cents; it was that bitch Kagome's fault this was happening- a more suitable concubine should be found for Sesshomaru. If the Demon Lord continued on this path, flirting and eventually fucking human trash, where would the nobility of the dog clan go? A proud breed such as theirs had already been sullied by that bastard Inu Yasha- any other mistakes had to be taken care of before they raged out of control. 

                It was while the three were discussing this topic in the foyer that Taomaru found them. The dark youkai was not amused with their reactions to his sudden appearance- or revival since he was supposed to be dead and sealed beneath the castle. As they groveled at his feet in fear and awe, he viciously kicked them all and ordered their immediate imprisonment. Before they could be dragged off, Taomaru had them brought outside and, in full view of the troops, savaging the lords until they could only twitch on the floor. Some of the troops had started forward, unsure if they should protect their dictators or leave them to the fate they had earned. Vengeance finally won out; in their respective lands, each lord had committed such atrocities upon those they should have been protecting that even Sesshomaru's blood would have curdled upon hearing the list. 

                Taomaru mauled them as only a truly angry dog youkai could, making them suffer as those beneath them had suffered. With vengeance for the lesser youkai over with, Taomaru threw back his head and howled, raising blood soaked claws to the sky. The primal side of the youkai was feeling the high of bloodlust and, even though there had been no actual killing, Taomaru still enjoyed making them submit to his superiority- to his family's superiority. As he watched the bleeding bundles of fur being carted off, he felt even better because he had also satisfied his own personal vengeance- these lords were the pathetic decedents of those who had turned against his family long ago. Back then, the families had escaped punishment on the grounds that they had been forced into subservience to the Dark Army. Since no one could prove that they had or had not been forced into attacking their sworn lord, no retribution had been extracted although each family had been watched closely while Momaru had lived. 

                The dark youkai found Jaken, picking the toad youkai up and cradling the small body. Taomaru also retrieved Kagome's notebook and took up the arduous task of reconstructing Kagome's battle plans. With Kagome, Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha preoccupied, Taomaru was the only one left to take charge of the degenerating situation of the palace and the impending battle. Kagome's notebook proved to be invaluable in preparing the soldiers for the fight, as well as creating a defense that would hold. In truth, Taomaru hadn't thought she had it in her being the kind soul she was. By the time the sun was setting, the castle's soldiers had been set right and a battle now wouldn't be as damaging. 

                Also in Kagome's notebook were plans for all the modern marvels the girl had brought with her. Taomaru looked over the emergency generator, finally finding it and the gasoline that would power the machine. He also found the bike Kagome had been worried over. The youkai gathered all the lamps Kagome had made servants bring and set them beside the stereo- the equipment for the sound box also having been found. Taomaru knew Kagome would need everything to complete her plans. Through out it all, Taomaru had carried Jaken, oddly unwilling to put the little youkai down until everything was done. 

                Rin and Shippo found him looking over Kagome's stuff, the two children riding around on the big white dogs Kagome had also brought along with her. Each child was dressed strangely and Taomaru assumed that they had also been doing their own snooping of Kagome's baggage. Keeping and eye on the pack of wolves that apparently had adopted both canines were Miroku and Sango. Taomaru had seen the last two out on the field, watching horrified as he tormented the lords. They watched him warily now; unsure of whose side he was truly on. He sighed but did not apologize or explain- he'd do that later when he wasn't as busy. 

                "Sesshomaru-sama and Kagome-onee-chan have been gone a long time." Rin said quietly, and Duchess –the dog she rode on- moved forward with a small whine. 

                "They didn't kill each other did they?" Shippo asked and Socrates shook his big furry head. 

                "All of them are fine," Taomaru frowned. "I think." He sounded worried on the last and rightly so; images, memories that were not his own flashed through his mind and none of them made sense. So far the youkai had gathered that Kagome and Sesshomaru had gotten into... a water fight? Taomaru's brows furrowed as he straightened up from crouching on the floor. He set Jaken on the floor in a corner, out of harm's way. What he received now was a bit darker, but nothing violent had happened. Footsteps sounded and Taomaru shook himself back to his surroundings. 

                Sango started as she paused nearby. "Kouga! What are you doing here?" She was genuinely surprised to see the scruffy wolf youkai in the castle; he usually was running around the forest somewhere.

                "You didn't think I'd pass up a fight, did you?" Kouga smirked arrogantly. "Where's my woman and dog turd?" 

                Taomaru frowned and arched an eyebrow, looking at the new youkai. Miroku showed up and cleared his throat pointedly, getting both youkai's attentions. "Kouga is referring to Kagome and Inu Yasha."

                Rin frowned. "Kagome-onee-chan is Inu Yasha-onii-chan's and Sesshomaru-sama's mate." Underneath her, Duchess barked and wagged her tail happily. Shippo nodded vigorously and Socrates did the same. The wolves following them however, wagged their tails a bit more hesitantly.

                Kouga growled.    "Mate? Kagome's my woman! She can't be anyone else's!" 

                Sango sighed and Taomaru looked at her, still frowning. "Kouga has become… quite taken with Kagome after meeting her a year or so ago. Inu Yasha and Kouga do not get along."

                "We've never seen his reaction to Sesshomaru though…" Miroku scratched his chin absently. 

                "I don't care who this Sesshomaru bastard is!" Kouga raged. "I'll take him and dog turd on _AND win! When I find Kagome I'm getting her out of here before this battle begins." He thrust out his chin angrily. "This is no place for her- it's too dangerous." _

                In front of him, everyone gave him a bored look. After a moment of silence, Taomaru turned his back on Kouga and ignored the boy's growling. "The threesome is fine." Taomaru felt his lip twitch as he saw Sango blush and watched Miroku's eyes take on a slightly lustful gleam. "I think they are all making up after the brawl you all got into. From what I can sense they're having a bat-" Taomaru abruptly broke off and clutched his head, falling to one knee as he did so. His body shuttered and both the monk and the exterminator had to steady him to keep the youkai from falling over.

                "What is it?" Sango asked. "What happened?"

                "Are Kagome and Sesshomaru okay?" Shippo asked urgently as Taomaru stood again. Taomaru opened a crimson eye, surveying everyone before him. Kouga sensed the change in the older youkai and pushed everyone back, taking point position in case Taomaru attacked. 

                Taomaru took deep breaths, calming the bloodlust that washed over him. "It's Kagome." His voice was a rolling growl, barely understandable for the humans present. "Something's happened." Breathing through his nose wasn't working; Taomaru opened his mouth, taking in great lungfuls of air and exposing long fangs. His tail whipped wildly behind him and the power he possessed was coming off him in waves- a sight similar to intense heat distorting the air around the source. 

                Kouga frowned. "How do you know what's going on? Where is she?"

                "Kagome inadvertently linked herself to Taomaru, Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha. It's complicated but they can know what is happening to one another." Miroku said, turning and heading to the hallway that led underground and to Sesshomaru's den. Sango joined him, as did Taomaru. Kouga and the pack of canines followed, bounding forward with Rin and Shippo holding on tightly. The pack raced down the hallway with Kouga, finding Sesshomaru's den much faster than their followers. For all his speed, however, the wolf youkai found the doorway just in time to see the massive doors close and bolt into place. 

                A door was just a door though, and no door would ever best Kouga. He jumped and landed a high kick, the momentum and force insuring the wooden frame's compliance. He was very surprised indeed when the door remained shut and he was thrown back against the opposite wall. 

                "It's just like with Inu Yasha." Miroku remarked, watching Kouga stand up, the monk very unsurprised. "If Kagome doesn't want somebody inside, then they will not be able to enter."

                "Taomaru," Sano began, eyeing the innocent looking door and Kouga both. "Maybe you can get inside since all four of you are linked."

                The wolf dog nodded slowly, his single eye still a disconcerting crimson. He walked forward and touched the door, pushing on the old wood. He met resistance but was not thrown away. Taking that as a positive sign, Taomaru added more force to his push, digging deep groves in the stone floor as his bare feet pushed him forward. He didn't make any progress and finally shoved his shoulder against the unmovable door, being thrown across the floor. He stood and looked at Sango. "Next idea?" he asked, wryly.

                "Can you talk to them?" Shippo asked, tapping his head. 

                "Hmm… I can try it, but it's hard to concentrate. I mean I'm getting bits and pieces about what's going on but no words. Something triggered Inu Yasha's demon side and I know Kagome is trying to control him, but I don't know what's happening beyond that."

                "Whose eyes are you looking through?" Rin asked, a very brilliant question coming from the child.

                Kouga frowned at the group. "Someone had better start filling me in about why dog turd is with my woman!"

                Taomaru smacked Kouga absently, the light smack enough to knock the wolf youkai to the floor. "You should stop calling the price such awful names. If you don't, I'll be forced to show the error of your ways." He intoned darkly, his red eye on Kouga. 

                "Prince?" Kouga blinked blankly and stood again. "What prince? I'm the only prince."

                "That's right," Sango said. "I'd forgotten Inu Yasha was a prince."

                Miroku nodded. "As did I, but it makes sense with Sesshomaru being lord of this domain that his younger brother would be a prince."

                Shippo sighed, crossing his arms. "Prince or not, that idiot never acts like anything more than a bully."

                "Inu Yasha's a prince," Kouga said slowly. "He is Demon Lord Sesshomaru's younger brother."

                "Correct, pup." Taomaru looked at the door again. "He, his brother and Kagome are all inside and something important is happening. Now that I think about it, I don't think Kagome's power is keeping the door shut." 

                "But if it's not Kagome," Shippo frowned. "Then who is it?" 

                "When Sesshomaru took Kagome here, he shouted a warning that the dream youkai was back. She may be causing this."

                Sango and Miroku frowned simultaneously. "Her power dictated over someone's dreams." The monk said and the exterminator finished his thought. "This is reality- she shouldn't be able to do anything here."

                "And that is where you are all wrong." Said a quiet voice behind the huddling group, making them all jump in surprise. The group eyed the caramel colored youkai, noting her long tail, tattered garments and not missing the fact she was transparent. 

                "Who the hell're you?" Kouga snarled angrily. There had been too many surprises for his taste and  he wanted desperately to take his frustration out on something. 

                "A ghost." Miroku said quietly and stepped in front of everyone- this was in his realm after all.

                 "My name is Momiji." The woman held her head high, her eyes flashing angrily. "I am holding the door closed against you so that you will leave those within alone."

                "Momiji…" Taomaru said, the name sparking a memory- one of his own and one of Kagome's. _"Princess Momiji!?" The youkai nearly dropped dead of shock. "_You're_ causing this?"_

                Momiji frowned, crossing her arms in front of her. "Yes, distant nephew, I am. I was the one behind the dream mesh's power as well." She stood at her full height, looking as regal as she had when she'd been alive. 

                "But, why the dream mesh?" Taomaru asked, his mind reeling from this new discovery. "And why this? Why and how are you here now?" 

                Momiji sighed. "Perhaps a more comfortable place is needed for this story; you all look ready to faint and that floor isn't soft!"  To her surprise, Sango and Miroku sat on the floor, the dogs and wolves lying down near by. Taomaru looked at them and also sat, followed resolutely by Kouga. Shippo and Rin jumped off the two white dogs and into their friend's laps. 

                "Start talking." Miroku said lowly, pulling out a sealing scroll. The monk had had enough intrigue for the week and wanted answers to all the plotting. If the ghost didn't start sharing information, he would shove Buddha aside and seal her here and now.

                Sesshomaru watched Kagome withering on the bathroom floor. In this field he didn't know what would help or hinder. It made him feel weak, powerless, and that made him very, very angry. He hated feeling this way- it reminded him of his childhood, running from his father at nightfall- and made him turn toward his now dark haired brother. Unconscious, the human Inu Yasha would be the perfect target for his rage but it felt wrong with Kagome in agony. Sesshomaru growled his frustration, snatching his brother from the water before the idiot could drown. Since his touch burned her skin, Sesshomaru could literally not lay a hand on Kagome so he instead picked her up by using his tail. He didn't know what to say as she roused long enough to touch his tail and then, puzzled, touched her eyes. They were closed but then she opened them, shocking Sesshomaru by revealing bright gold orbs. 

                "I can't see." She whispered with the edge of panic in her voice. 

                "Kagome," Sesshomaru said, his voice monotone even though his heart picked up speed. "Stay calm." He gingerly pulled off her remaining clothing with a free hand- the last scrap, her panties, making him arch a brow quizzically- and ignored her feeble protests. He was extremely careful not to touch her bare skin. He did the same with Inu Yasha, though with complete disregard for the hanyou's form. Perhaps he was a little rougher than necessary but this was Inu Yasha's fault and there was no way the bastard would escape unscathed.

 Why, pray tell, was Sesshomaru stripping down his mind mates? He asked himself the same question.  After all the trouble the two had caused him in the past year or two- forget the past couple of days!-  he ought to leave them to themselves or possibly drown them in the bathroom. That's what part of him was saying, insisting that life would be better without the two, that they _really weren't that important. But the voice was hollow at its core, as if it was simply going through the motions of being angry because it was supposed to be angry. _

                _Damn, he thought. __The bond between us all is solidifying. At this rate, we'll all bond to each other. On the heels of that statement followed an uninvited image of his future, eternally bound to Kagome and Inu Yasha. Being bound to the former wasn't what Sesshomaru was worried about- it was being linked to his brother that bothered him greatly. __Forever tied to this mongrel. Sesshomaru chucked Inu Yasha onto the bed, the hanyou's body tumbling to a stop before hitting the pillows. __Damn, thought he'd hit the wall. With a more gentle touch, Sesshomaru laid Kagome on the bed, promptly turning around and pulling three clean robes from his closet. _

                He pulled on one robe, a pale blue one and the longest of the three, as he walked back to the bed. He frowned, feeling his still wet tail slap against his bare legs, annoyed that he couldn't be dry. He leapt onto the bed in an angry, graceful movement and sat beside Kagome, touching her skin only with the soft cloth of the robe. He draped it over her, manipulating her arms through the sleeves of the robe. For Inu Yasha, he merely tossed the robe over the still form so that it covered his brother's body- the moron could dress himself when he woke. Sesshomaru pulled Kagome into his lap, trying to offer comfort while she convulsed against him. It was a strange role for the demon lord; comfort had been absent from his life for a very long time, not returning until after his father's death. It was then that Sesshomaru had felt safe and had begun to find and revel in the comforts life had to offer him. 

                Sesshomaru snorted to himself. _Who would have ever thought that I, the great Sesshomaru, would be cuddling a human? The gods do hate me so. Contrary to popular belief, the youkai did not hate humans; he thought of them as nothing because they had presented themselves to him as nothing. Except for one, the humans he had met were stupid creatures, slaves to their own base desires and faults. He had tried in his own way to engage in a conversation with the insipid cretins, but it had been like trying to talk to a pet or a cow- he would have had better luck with a wall. Whether it had been because they sensed his power or simply because they were that stupid, humans had only babbled incoherently at him when he spoke- in the end shrieking in fear and running away or trying to attack him. Sesshomaru had tried talking to a farmer once for directions- not that he was actually lost; he was trying to establish a public relations network- and had immediately decided to never repeat the mistake after the man had fainted dead away._

                No, Sesshomaru didn't hate humans, but he didn't like them either. The only human who had ever shown intelligence- aside from Kagome- had surprisingly been Inu Yasha's mother. Even now, decades later, that fact still surprised the demon lord. Lady Yui had shown remarkable intellect and compassion, even when it came to Sesshomaru. She had been very talented in music, strong willed and had also shown a small measure of power similar to Kagome's. 

                In fact, Sesshomaru mused, he should be grateful to her- with a new wife to tend to, there was no chance of being raped by his father again. Unbidden, a shutter racked the youkai's frame disturbing Kagome and making her sit up in his lap. Though she was in turmoil mentally, the girl still reacted to Sesshomaru's painful memories and wanted to offer comfort of some sort. Kagome turned toward him, wrapping her arms around his chest and laying her head against the cloth of his robe. Unused to this, Sesshomaru awkwardly rubbed her back as she convulsed and lost her hold. Heat radiated from her small frame, as if she were suffering from an out of control fever. On that thought came a memory, a collage of images from both Inu Yasha's and Kagome's point of view.

                Through his brother's eyes, Sesshomaru looked at an obviously ill Kagome. As Inu Yasha, the youkai caught her when she could no longer stand and carried her fevered body downstairs. Sesshomaru watched as a sleeping Kagome tried to get comfy on her couch, as fascinated as Inu Yasha had been at the multitude of positions the girl tried in the pursuit of comfort. Sesshomaru felt as if he were displaced, simultaneously suffering through Kagome's cold with her and caring for her as Inu Yasha. It was a bizarre experience but educational. The demon lord knew very little about caring for an ailing human- a touch more than Inu Yasha did- but the fact hadn't been made an issue; after all, Rin was always healthy and she was the only human in his household. 

                In response to the heat Kagome was generating, Sesshomaru's body was cooling itself down- he frowned as he felt himself begin to sweat. It was widely believed that youkai were unaffected by external temperatures- that was a myth. Just like a human's body, youkai had an internal thermostat that regulated their body temperatures; depending on which type of youkai was in question, the 'normal' body temperature could be anything. As for Sesshomaru, his normal body temperature was around 103 degrees Fahrenheight. The normal human body temperature was 98.6 degrees- if Kagome was making Sesshomaru sweat by just being nearby, her body was producing a very high temperature indeed. His body being the cooler of the two, Kagome laid her head against his skin, shaking uncontrollably.

                Sesshomaru tried to pull back, remembering how she had screamed at his touch in the bathroom. The girl convulsed, her fingers tightening on the cloth of his robe until her knuckles were white. "Don't," she whispered. "Don't leav-" Kagome's body spasmed violently and Sesshomaru could only watch in dismay.  She was shaking hard, fits strong enough to make it seem as if she would break apart. The demon lord reached out to her mentally, attempting to throw her a lifeline, but he only ran into a wall- an unbreakable barrier created by Kagome to keep him and everyone else out of her head. Nearby, the semi-covered heap that was the remains of Inu Yasha groaned.

"Gods," the dark haired teenager rose, wrapping the robe around him reflexively. "What happened?" He shook his head, rubbing it and squinting in the dim light. Sesshomaru watched the former hanyou look about, his disorientation evident. "Kagome?" Inu Yasha's voice was rough and thick, as if he hadn't used it in a long, long time. Sesshomaru growled before he could stop himself, watching as lavender eyes met his amber ones.

                "Sesshomaru," Inu Yasha said, confused. "What's wrong with Kagome?" He had noticed Kagome's shaking body, half out of Sesshomaru's lap. Inu Yasha crawled closer, coming within touching distance, but not closing the gap. It was at that moment that he saw a stray lock of his hair, the black strands very different than his normal silver. Sesshomaru watched warily, almost amusedly, as Inu Yasha sat back on his knees, pulling on his hair, as the hanyou looked himself over. __

_                Oh my God. The panicky thought was as clear as day to the youkai at the other end of the bed. __I'm human! More frantic hair pulls from Inu Yasha. __But- I can't be! It's not the night! The dark haired youngster stared at Kagome. __I've already changed for the month! Sesshomaru sighed- if his brother began panicking full out, all hopes for solving this mess were shot._

"Inu Yasha!" Sesshomaru said sternly. "Get a hold of yourself!" But again, he felt his brothers memories wash over him, submerging him in their swirling depths. Sesshomaru felt himself spasm, felt his body in the miserable agony that came from being ill as only humans could suffer when sick. The youkai felt himself shivering and panting from fever, unable to find comfort as he lay on the floor. He snuggled under the covers, holding onto a bright point nearby- a person's relaxed hand by his forehead that allowed him to rest his weakened body. Cold air bit along Sesshomaru's skin as someone pulled away his covers and gentle hands wiped the sweat from his face, a damp cloth placed over his skin to aid in cooling down. Deft fingers ran through his hair, brushing and braiding it. The same hands, so familiar and yet unplaceable, untangled the youkai from his sleeping clothes bringing more comfort. He felt his body relax, calm down, as the person continued. Sesshomaru wanted to thank this person, confused because there was only one person who had such a bedside manner and she was long dead.  _"Hahaue..." Sesshomaru was confused even more, his memories and Inu Yasha's were over lapping and it was hard to tell where one individual memory began and another started. He wanted to see, though, wanted to see this person with gentle hands because only one person was like this- just once more, to prove that she was really there and he had dreamed her death. _

                He hunted for the person with his free hand, the other being used to hold onto the fingers that caressed his forehead. Sesshomaru tried to use his nose, wanting to find the person's scent and being frustrated when his sense of smell refused to work. He fought to open his eyes- Inu Yasha's tired eyes- and after succeeding in a weary battle, he opened them half way, gripping the new person's hand. A gentle touch on his cheek, a soft caress of comfort, and a kind voice, telling him to go back to sleep- that he was safe where ever he was from those that would harm him and Kagome. Sesshomaru felt Inu Yasha's memories become less vivid as the youkai realized that it was Kagome's hand by his forehead, a precious thing that he clung to because danger was nearby. Sesshomaru looked up at Kagome's mother, Mrs. Higurashi, her image hazy because Inu Yasha's eyes refused to focus. There was something familiar about the woman that Sesshomaru couldn't name, but he was almost positive he had never seen her before. The youkai felt Inu Yasha's confusion and slight disappointment that it was Kagome's mother taking care of him and not his own; Sesshomaru felt the same and dismissed the familiar feeling absently. The youkai let the images of the past event parading before him fade as Inu Yasha was claimed by sleep once more and Sesshomaru slowly became aware of his den. 

                "Sesshomaru?" Inu Yasha's voice fully roused him, the youkai jerking upright and causing Kagome to fall fully onto the bed. Sesshomaru's head whipped around, disconcerted and confused on many levels; where he was, when he was, and more importantly who he was. The now human Inu Yasha watched his brother's odd behavior and was reminded of an instance long ago when his younger self, sniffling pitifully, had pushed open the heavy door to Sesshomaru's den and had walked to the bed, calling his brother's name softly. He had jumped onto the bed lightly, watching the sleeping Sesshomaru; the youkai prince had been lying on his stomach, head half on his pillow. A second after Inu Yasha's child self had landed, Sesshomaru had woken, raising himself upward in a push up motion. The youkai had whipped his head around, an expression close to panic on his face until he found Inu Yasha perched precariously on the side of the bed. 

                Inu Yasha shook himself and kept a distance between his body and his brother's. Sesshomaru calmed, his face going back to its usual bored lines even though the youkai's neck and shoulder muscles remained chorded with tension. Unable to think of anything intelligent to say, Inu Yasha posed a question. "What happened? Why is Kagome ill and I'm human?" 

                "Ill?" Sesshomaru asked, an emotion edging his voice that Inu Yasha did not recognize- somewhere between anger, sadness and surprise. "It's possible to call her that but not accurate." Sesshomaru looked at Inu Yasha, a weight and seriousness to his gaze that made the human boy squirm inside. "Kagome is ill and you are human because you changed. Even I, Sesshomaru, have no idea what she did to bring about such a radical change but I believe that your demon power- your demon blood- is inside Kagome." He looked at Kagome's shaking body, his face shadowed. "Kagome is a miko, a very powerful one and your untamed demon blood is fighting her, tearing her apart from the inside out."  

Notes:

                Phew! Another chapter over and by the time anyone reads this I'll be done with school! Yay! That means I can finish up this thing.  ::Rubs her temples at the massive length of this story:::  I think this is the longest piece of writing on any subject I have ever written. After this I am taking a break! 

                Okay, I know that some of you are getting a bit ticked that there isn't more on the Dark Army- you've gotten a taste of it and it apparently whetted your appetite for violence. I know, I know, I promised you blood and gore and you will get it- later. Its coming (I'm writing the battle sequence) but it's gonna be a bit before the Army pops back up again. In the mean time you can look forward to more plot twists and more loops.

As a heads up, there is more than meets the eye here on relationships involving Sesshou's and Tao's involvement. This will be explained later (much, much later) but being the author I am, little clues will be woven in along the way- after all, if I came out and said it, why would you bother to read further? Toward the end of this Part, keep an eye out for a few… diminutive figures to pop up and present problems. Don't ask- just be patient.

As a last note (because I know all of you are simply wishing I'd shut up), chapters may be posted more liberally from now on. I know a lot of you have complimented me on how punctual I can be with posting chapters and I really appreciate it, but…. I've been saying that I have been having internet access problems as of late and this summer is going to be interesting to say the least. Chapters may be late or posted helter-skelter and for that I am sorry but the choice was, try and post when possible or don't post at all. Considering how interesting this story is going to get, I think perhaps the former will be the best plan. By fall, hopefully the entire story will be written and ready for editing and posting (You have been warned Telos ~ . ^). Keep an eye out for new additions and thank you all for sticking around to read this strange piece of fiction. Have a good week!


	16. The Ties that Bind

Legal: If you don't know, where have you been?

Chapter 15:  The Ties That Bind

"Where should I start?" Momiji asked quietly, her eyes thoughtful. 

                "The beginning is always best." Taomaru said, his eye bronze, as the ghost woman nodded. 

                "You all know that the Dark Army has taken over the Southern Kingdom, correct?" Everyone nodded grimly. "It is the first time it has been able to do that in history- their prey always was the Dog Clan and both times we pushed them back down the hole they crawled out of."

                "It sounds as if their leadership has changed." Miroku remarked. Kouga snorted.

                "Instead of a full out frontal attack, they're being sneaky. It was luck that the Dog Clan survived the first attacks at all what with the heavy casualties your clan took every time." Kouga snarled at Taomaru and Momiji. "Your fucking clan was supposed to protect all the wolf tribes in the Western Lands- that's what the alliance meant! Instead, you got our princess killed and left us to die!"

                "Taomaru!" Shippo asked urgently. "What's he talking about?"

                The wolf dog sighed heavily, the bronze of his multicolored eye becoming red tinged. "Perhaps I should take over for a few minutes." He looked at his ancestress who nodded in agreement. "When the Dark Army attacked initially, the Dog Clan was almost destroyed. Thousands of years ago, our clan was disorganized, selfish and powerful. We lost many, many people to the assault and as Kouga pointed out, we were lucky to have survived at all. Princess Momiji became our salvation and used her power to control the environment around her. She turned the whole castle grounds against the army; fire, water, earth, air- every damn element attacked the soldiers and very nearly eradicated the Dark Army from the face of this earth."

                "I didn't get them all unfortunately." The ghost princess grumbled darkly. "My power diminished greatly toward the end and I had to leave the remainder to my brother and the rest of the clan."

                "But," Taomaru blinked. "At the time, no one understood what was going on- only Prince Lukin had any idea what was going on. When all was over, he searched the castle for you, finally finding you in that room you had carved out, in the Guardian's chambers." 

                "If he found you, why are you dead?" Sango asked, eyeing the tattered and bloody clothing Momiji wore. "The ware and tear on your clothing indicates a battle."

                The ghost smiled sadly. "These are from the fight against our allies inside the castle. The Dark Army had not been alone in the attack- they had bought, or otherwise turned, our allies' loyalties against us. While the battle erupted outside the castle walls, inside skirmishes began because our allies attacked us. A two pronged attack, so to speak." She sighed then her gaze settled on Kouga heavily for a heartbeat. She resumed the story. "The kind of power I unleashed had a high price and I paid in full."

                "You died?" Shippo and Rin asked together. Momiji nodded, face blank. 

                "Not initially," Her lips twisted into a harsh smile. "After tasting my power, it seems the Western Lands were unwilling to let me go; I tried to leave the chamber and was sealed by the very power I had let out. From that day onward, for thousands of years, I was trapped down there. Lukin tried everything to free me but nothing worked. Slowly my power was drained from me until even the most basic of my youkai powers could no longer keep me among the living." There was a somber moment of sadness and surprise before the discussion resumed.

                "The term for her became Guardian." Taomaru said quietly, his eye becoming brown.

                "I've heard that before," Kouga said. "If anyone brought up attacking the Dog Clans an elder would always talk about rousing 'the wrath of the Guardian.' No one knew what the Guardian was except from stories- one of which was about Princess Momiji." He nodded at the ghost. 

                "But, as a ghost you still shouldn't be able to affect reality like you do." Miroku said.

                 Taomaru sighed and nodded. "Normally, yes; a ghost should not be able to manipulate things as Momiji can. Guardians do not…err… pass on after their service, after they finally die. Because we are bound so closely into the very environment, our spirits are unable to leave the area. Since her death, Momiji and every Guardian who followed after her have watched their descendants and protected them- even though she's a spirit, she can still derive power from the Dog Clan members and castle."

                "Unable to pass on?" Sango asked. "Forever stuck here?" The possibility made her shutter. 

                Shippo's eyes were wide. "Taomaru, you said 'we'- you're a Guardian too?" 

                He nodded. "Correct. I have been Guardian for nearly two millennia. I have watched over my brother and his decendents since I was sealed. Oddly, it wasn't until I met Kagome that I've been able to move around. I've been in that room for so long." A shadow crossed his features, making his eye a bleak grey and, for a moment, the vibrancy of Taomaru's personality drained away like the sun sinking below the horizon just when you needed light the most. 

                "Kagome's power is waking up the ghosts of the castle again- she's waking up the whole damn Western Lands!" Momiji said. "As those three-" She nodded at the door to Sesshomaru's den. "Continue to share and build power, the energy awakens the spirits here and gives them power. That's why I can affect things now when I couldn't before. If we ghosts pool our power, we can shift doorways and move objects to protect our charges." Momiji looked pained for a second and spoke her next thought softly, as if forgetting she had an audience. "That's how we used to protect Sesshomaru."

                "Protect Sesshomaru?" Sango asked, ready to follow that thought. Kouga had other ideas. 

                "So who are you?" He thrust out his chin at Taomaru petulantly. "We know who she is now and why she can do as she does, but who the hell are you?"

                "Ah!" Taomaru made a fist and hit it lightly in his palm, his eye becoming lavender before changing to bronze again. "I'd forgotten I hadn't explained to you. I am Lord Momaru's brother- or was." Sadness flickered in his eye, making it turn grey again. "I am Sesshomaru's and Inu Yasha's uncle as well as the current Guardian."      

                "But," Rin said. "You don't look like them at all!"

                "You guys are as different as night and day." Shippo said flatly. The wolf dog arched his eyebrows, widening his now lavender eye and smiling slightly.

                "Oh? You really think so?" Taomaru laughed. 

                "Well, you're so dark." Sango said.

                "And they are very pale in coloring." Miroku said. 

                "You're not as stupid as Inu Yasha." Kouga added and Taomaru frowned at him. The elder youkai hit the younger with his tail in annoyance. Kouga caught the appendage and looked at it, his eyes narrowing. He flicked his own tail into view, comparing the two. "The Dog Clan has longer, fluffier tails. How come yours is more like mine?" 

                Taomaru rested his chin in his hand, looking amused. "Yes, how could that be possible?" Now that attention had been called to it, everyone was looking at the two furry lengths and coming to a conclusion. 

                "You're part wolf tribe!" Rin said happily and laughed when Taomaru ruffled her hair. 

                "Very good, Rin! Sesshomaru will be pleased with your powers of observation." 

                "So you are wolf and dog; what's the point?" Kouga frowned and Taomaru whipped his tail from the younger youkai's grasp and slapped him with it again. 

                "Prince or not," Taomaru frowned, his eye becoming red tinged. "You are extremely stupid." He snorted in disgust and turned back to the others. "Our father was roped into two marriages- one with a female from our clan and one from the wolf tribe- to tie the two together. After the first defeat of the Dark Army, the Dog Clan underwent a massive reorganizing- no one could marry who they wanted; everything had to be toward the greater good of the clan. Along with that, we had to find a way to insure that our allies would not turn against us again."

                "By mixing blood, you all had to stay loyal." Shippo said, nodding to himself. 

                "Fucking Dog Clan didn't think so." Kouga snarled, standing as he glared at Taomaru. "Think you're so high and mighty? My tribe and your clan have been at odds since you let our princess get killed back then, letting her pup die." Momiji frowned at him.

                "Her pup did not die and her death was a great tragedy." Taomaru said, his voice low and tight- as if what he really wanted to do was beat the hell out of Kouga instead of talk to him. The red tint to his eye became more pronounced as he continued to speak. "She bore a pup at the same time as the Dog Clan wife. Both pups grew up well and strong and got along perfectly. Though they went their separate ways at times, both brothers still fought any enemy in defense of the other. One brother was pale with amber gold eyes. His name was Momaru." Taomaru paused, looking up at Kouga steadily. "The other brother was dark in color like his mother with the same ever shifting eyes as hers. His name was Taomaru and I am he." 

                "I thought so." Sango said. "You know too many things and are too familiar with Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru not to be." Taomaru smiled at her, his eye bronze green. 

                "Ah, Sango." Momiji said. "You are a very clever girl." The ghost laughed and then frowned, looking upward at the stone ceiling. "Hmm… excuse me a second." She promptly disappeared. The others blinked at her vacated spot then returned to the conversation. 

                "But, how did you get sealed and Momaru become king?" Shippo asked. 

                "As I said, the two of us got along like the best of friends right up until I got engaged." Taomaru noticed their shocked faces. "What? I was of marriageable age and found to be quite attractive!" He stuck his chin out and frowned. 

                "Rin thinks you are cute." Rin said, tugging on his sleeve. Taomaru's eyes became lavender green and he thanked the small child.

                "Getting back to the point, all was well within the Dog Clan home. I traveled here and there in my teenage years and when I came back I met a wonderful woman." He smiled, his eye briefly falling to half-mast as he remembered his fiancé fondly. He shook himself, snapping back to the present. "Anyway, Momaru, Kiroti and I had a close relationship, constant companions in almost everything. Though she was to wed me, she had a very friendly relationship with my brother as well. Being that we were brothers, I felt no jealousy or anger in that fact- I encouraged their relationship when I was busy elsewhere."

                "What was she like?" Miroku asked, always ready to hear the tale of a lovely lady. His hand wandered toward Sango and the exterminator slapped him before he touched her body. As a further deterrent, she slapped him hard again and then sat back to hear the story. 

                "She was very pretty, like Sesshomaru, but defiantly female. She had a gentle spirit, but a fiery temper that was down right hell to deal with. Kitori was… wonderful." He sighed quietly, falling silent, his eye first becoming grey then all color draining from the orb completely, making him look blind. "When the Dark Army attacked," he began, his tone as empty of emotion as his now unexpressive eye. "There came a point where, despite all our efforts, we were being massacred. It came down to a handful of wolf and dog youkai trying to beat an army of hundreds. Kitori, Momaru, me; we were all going to die that day. I knew of the Guardian role, of the power the person could wield and also the price they paid. To protect her, to protect my brother and our home, I became Guardian and have been so ever since, imprisoned and alone." 

                "But Kagome woke you up again." Miroku said. "When she called out for help."

                Taomaru nodded silently, his features still empty. From the lack of response, everyone came to the same conclusion: it would be pointless to get anything else out of him for a while. 

                "When did she call for help?" Kouga asked, one eye still watching the wolf dog. "Dog turd couldn't protect her?" He snorted in disgust. "I knew he'd meet someone besides me who'd kick his ass."

                The others frowned at him. "This was not something that could be solved by using your fists." Miroku said, frowning darkly.

                "That's probably why Inu Yasha became a target." Shippo said absently. The kitsune jumped when Kouga began pounding on the door to Sesshomaru's den. "Are you insane?" Shippo screeched and ducked behind Taomaru.

                "Come out dog turd!" Kouga yelled. "I challenge your claim! Now get out here and face me!" He started kicking the door as well.

                "If you didn't want to help, why did you come?" Miroku asked angrily. The monk stood, readying to strike with his staff. Sango rose also and around the two, the wolves climbed to their feet.

                Duchess and Socrates stood, growling and snapping at the wolves and at Kouga. The pair moved in sync opposite each other as they circled Sango and Miroku protectively. The wolf youkai stopped his attempts to break the door and frowned. "That's why." Kouga said, pointing at the two white dogs.

"My wolves found these two and told me about trouble to the south. When any trouble appears in a territory- especially one as great as the Western Lands and the Southern Kingdom- word gets out." Again he gestured to Duchess and Socrates. "These two told me that they had come with a girl who matched Kagome's description." He frowned and the wolves backed away from everyone. Duchess and Socrates however, did not. 

                "They could have come from anyone and seen Kagome." Sango snorted. 

                Kouga shook his head. "No, the dogs had Kagome's scent as well as Inu Yasha's and your scents too." He tapped his nose. "But more than that, when a fight is brewing and the message has to be delivered, it's usually through a matching animal." 

                "When Kouga has a message to spread, he does it through his wolves." Taomaru explained, shaking himself slightly and becoming more his usual self. "If Shippo had to send a message, he would ask other foxes."

                "And because both dogs are white," Rin said. "You thought they came from Sesshomaru-sama." 

                "Let it never be said that the Wolf Tribes disobey treaty." Kouga said grimly. "On the way here we ran into those weird soldiers and were attacked. One of my legs got ripped up and I couldn't immediately chase down Inu Yasha when we arrived."

                "Well, that explains that." Miroku said and smiled at the two white dogs' affectionately. "Kouga came because he'd been summoned by the lord of the Western Lands, not realizing at the time that Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha are brothers. Puts a new spin on things, does it not?" He arched a brow at Kouga.

                "What do you mean?" Rin asked as she petted Duchess. The question had been aimed at Miroku, but Taomaru cut in before the monk could supply an answer.

                "From what I understand, both from listening to you and from in here," the wolf dog tapped his skull, indicating his links to the three behind the shut door. "Kouga is one of Kagome's… suitors. Now, Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha are both in that category. The latter two are brothers- mess with one, you mess with the other- and Sesshomaru is the ruler of the Western Lands."

                "Which means he is one of, if not the, strongest of all the youkai in the area." Sango said. 

Miroku finished her thought. "Even with your Shikon fragments, if it comes down to sheer power Kouga, you are outclassed."  

                "Rumor says that neither brother is fond of the other." Kouga said, frowning at his losing position in the face of everyone's logic. Though he was a bit pissed with everyone, the wolf youkai glared hatefully at Taomaru the most.

                "In a way you are correct; Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha lost love for one another a very long time ago." The wolf dog explained. "They even had a fight a few hours ago right here. But," the youkai held up a finger. "The point is that they are brothers- in the Dog Clan we do not challenge family without cause and we defend each other at all costs." 

                Kouga looked lost and Taomaru sighed, happy that he had no link to the mentally slow youngster. Sango spared him the task of explaining again. "He means that even though Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha fight between each other, that doesn't mean that you can attack Inu Yasha without also having to face Sesshomaru or vise versa."

 The wolf youkai turned back to the door and began hammering on it again, yelling louder than before.  Everyone else sighed and wondered how long the poor door would last under his assault.  

                "I wonder how Kagome's doing." Shippo said quietly. 

                I was in agony! I couldn't stop shaking, couldn't do anything about the wild spasming of my muscles. I knew that I had been changed, now wearing soft cloth instead of my pj bottoms, and I also knew I was being held. I even knew that it was Sesshomaru holding me, calling me mentally. What I didn't know was what to do. I convulsed repeatedly, the sharp motions racking my body painfully, worse than the fever raging through my frame. I felt like I was burning inside and being tenderized at the same time- I would never eat steak again after this. 

                Throughout it all I was aware, unmercifully aware, of the presence pacing inside me and of the movements of the two people nearby outside my skin. I heard the two brothers moving about but didn't understand what they were doing. Pain and heat swamped my senses, and I was barely functioning enough to sense who I was touching or what I was hearing. I could see- that was a good sign- but my vision was blurry and spotty. I felt exhausted and sick and Inu Yasha's power took that moment to badger me. It didn't so much as speak or form clear thoughts, but the meaning of the messages somehow was still clear.          

                'What hurts you so?' It asked. 'What enemy is present? Let me out and we shall kill it together.' Images accompanied the questions, pictures of Sesshomaru, of Kouga, of just about every enemy we had ever faced. I answered Inu Yasha's power in the same way that it talked to me- it would insure an understanding and it took less effort; all my energy was going into trying to control the convulsions.

                'Nothing can be solved by killing.' I told it absently, preoccupied with suppressing a particularly violent fit. 'No one outside my body is hurting me- you are.'

                'Me?' It was surprised. 'I could not hurt you. I love you; you are mate.' It told me and the images I received were little snippets of times spent between Inu Yasha- the complete hanyou- and myself. I saw pictures from different moments; the time when I hadn't slept for days and then had come back to see everyone, inadvertently falling asleep while Inu Yasha was talking to me. I saw myself while I was sleeping when I'd been sick and Inu Yasha had been taking care of me. Little scraps of memories of when Inu Yasha was thinking of me or feeling affectionate toward me.

                'You hurt me.' I repeated, spasming. I felt my power flare and the presence inside me became alarmed. I felt myself beginning to slip away, going to some place I did not know. 'Your power hurts me.'

                'Mate? Mate!' It cried. 'Don't go!' More images, memories on fast-forward from Inu Yasha's life- moments when he had been lonely, felt betrayed, felt deserted. And then I saw myself in the images, smiling or laughing, chasing away those awful feelings. The memories faded with his memory of marking me while I was sick, of looking after me in reality after my collapse in my kitchen at home. I felt how distressed he had been back then as he watched me keel over, knowing that I was in desperate need of help and not knowing how to aid me.

                Now I was confused. It was showing me memories from times in reality, but around or at that time I had been threatened by the Inu Yasha in the dream mesh- the part of him that wasn't waking up for whatever reason. 'If you were the one in reality, who attacked me in the dream mesh? Who attacked me at Keade's?' I had been under the assumption that any violent acts were derived from Inu Yasha's demon powers, from that half of his personality. 'Which one of you did I make love to?' God, this was confusing. 

                'Me.' It responded, showing different images from the dream mesh again. 

                'For what part?' I asked annoyed. I gasped, inside and out, as I rode another wave of pain. It was as if every muscle in my body was trying to get up and leave, as if I was being ripped apart! 'I can't... I can't live like this.' I whispered to Inu Yasha's power, to the beast that was the source of my misery. 

                'I was the one in reality and  the one who marked you. I was the one who protected you, who made love to you.' It said quietly and for the first time I felt a light caress inside instead of sharp poking. The touch continued, settling the muscles in its path. 

                'Don't… understand.' I shuttered. I didn't know what it was doing, but slowly my body was calming down.

                'Inu Yasha is a hanyou; two sides, two natures.' It answered, more memories accompanying the thoughts. 'I sleep inside Inu Yasha and come when called, when the danger is too great, because I am the more destructive of the two. I house the power but that doesn't mean I am the more violent of us.' 

                'But you're his demon side.' I was slowly relaxing, lying limp in Sesshomaru's arms. I blinked and the room came into view. I could see Sesshomaru, could feel his cool skin against my warm body. I pressed myself against his chest. For a brief blessed moment I found coolness and felt my temperature slip a notch. But then Sesshomaru pulled away and I wrapped my fingers tightly into the cloth of his clothing. "Don't." I whispered, my throat hurting. "Don't leav-" My body began to spasm again and again, one right after another. 

                'Mate?' Inu Yasha's power shifted inside me, spreading out through my system. I felt panicky as I sensed it doing this- it didn't hurt but the feeling was disconcerting. My power responded, flowing through me and over Inu Yasha's. I felt Sesshomaru's mental call hit the barrier, the shield I had erected in my head to keep everything contained. The last thing everyone needed was demon Inu Yasha running around loose in either brother's head. 

                I was fighting a loosing battle- not necessarily with Inu Yasha's power, but with myself, with my body. This was a totally new experience unto itself: I'd fought demons, been attacked, dealt with strange situations but I had never had a presence inside me, making itself a home among my internal organs. I had just gotten used to putting up with three other voices in my head- I couldn't handle a forth, especially in this intimate a relationship. At least Sesshomaru, Taomaru and… whatever was left of the hanyou Inu Yasha were outside my body. Oh yah; this was _very_ different. 

                My lungs burned, as did the muscles in my arms and legs; they weren't getting enough oxygen for this kind of activity and neither was the rest of me. Distantly I felt my stomach heave, not only from a touch of nausea, but from the fact I hadn't eaten in a while. Not enough air, no food in my stomach, and nausea- nothing like it in the misery department. The convulsions racking my body intensified, jerking me so much that I thought I'd break into a million pieces. A million pieces, just like the Shikon Jewel when I'd broken it with my arrow long ago. Some how, it seemed fitting in the similarity. 

                I felt Inu Yasha's power stir, felt it begin to pace inside me. 'Mate, stop fighting me!' It yelled, trying to get my attention over the pain its presence caused. 

                'Leave.' I whispered and then realized what I was saying- it couldn't leave; I was holding it inside. Damn- all this pain was self-inflicted; metaphysically speaking that is. I felt my breath hitch, felt my back arching as if someone were picking me up or trying to hold me down while my body still tried to shake. Inu Yasha's power poured through me, trying to take over for what purpose I did not know.

"No!" I shrieked, hardly aware that I was speaking out loud. "No!" My body spasmed and my power screamed for help, drawing on Sesshomaru's and Taomaru's. I felt my power funnel theirs into itself as it tugged something- as if reeling in something attached to a string. It pulled on whatever it was reaching for and gave an unrelenting command that had to be obeyed. 

                Inu Yasha's demon side didn't panic, didn't attack, like I thought it would. I guess I had expected it to claw its way back to Inu Yasha, but what it had said nagged at me_. I am the more destructive of the two. I house the power but that doesn't mean I am the more violent of us. What did it mean? It was his demon side- didn't that automatically make it his more violent side? And what was this about this side being more caring than his human side? Too many questions, too few answers. I flashed on the dream I had had before all this craziness started, when everyone and I were still traipsing around the woods, the one about being back in my bedroom with him outside the window. As I remembered, his power must have seen the show as well._

                'That dream,' it said cuddling my chest from the inside. 'I remember that dream. Are you afraid of me?' Inu Yasha's power made no move to defend itself from my wrath, waiting for my decision to use the power at my disposal to destroy it or let it go. 

                'I can't let you out- not like you were before.' I replied, ignoring the question and feeling sleepy. I could feel myself again, could feel  strong hands entwined with mine, a muscled body pinning me down. I opened my eye and stared into concerned amber. I tried to speak, but my tongue stuck to the top of my mouth. I swallowed thickly and tried again with little success. The youkai was glowing and I wanted to ask why- not that it was really important, mind you, just that it takes a bit to get him to do his lightning bug routine. Sesshomaru's head moved and I could see anxious violet eyes framed by black hair starring down at me. Human Inu Yasha didn't touch me, but he wanted to- I could tell from his face. I blinked slowly and could sense the hanyou's demon side looking out through my eyes at himself. 

                'It is human nature to destroy.' Inu Yasha's power whispered in my head, the murmur a cool caress calming my body. 'It is not possible for hanyous to be one side or the other- when separated, the chosen side will become darker without it's counterpart to balance it.'

                I looked up into the human Inu Yasha's violet eyes before I passed out. Though I could hardly believe what his demon side was telling me, I knew it wasn't lying; if Inu Yasha ever turned completely human, he would be more dangerous than any demon we had ever seen.

Sesshomaru had used his heavier frame to stop Kagome from thrashing. To say he was relieved when she finally looked up at him would have been an understatement.  He knew he was glowing, the other point of light besides Kagome, because all the candles had blown out somehow during the fiasco. The Demon Lord straightened, gathering Kagome into his arms in the process and glared hatefully at his human brother. Sesshomaru snarled, his eyes bleeding red as Inu Yasha backed away from the furious youkai. The human was spared Sesshomaru's wrath by the door being smashed in.

                "Is everyone all right?" Taomaru asked, stepping through the hole he had made in the door and looking for damage. He was glowing, his power casting a greenish tinge as he walked inside and over those behind him: a pack of wolves, the two dogs, and Kouga.  Sango and Miroku trailed after them, Shippo and Rin right behind the two. 

                "Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin yelled, running around Miroku's legs to cross the remaining floor to the bed. "Rin is glad to see you!" She climbed up and sat beside her wonderful protector.

                "Kagome!" Shippo yelled and jumped onto the bed when Sango was in range. Unsure of what would set off the obviously angry youkai, the monk and exterminator stood beside the bed, staring at the dark haired Inu Yasha. Miroku looked over at Kouga, the wolf prince standing nearby, and saw that he was just as surprised as everyone else.

                "Dog turd! What happened to you?" The wolf youkai grabbed a handful of Inu Yasha's long hair and pulled roughly, obviously looking for the joke. He sniffed at the new human while the latter pulled at the hand that pulled his hair. Kouga gasped. "Human." He let Inu Yasha go, still staring. "You're human."

                "Wimpy wolf! Who let your sorry ass inside the castle?" Inu Yasha demanded angrily, looking like he was about to jump off the bed and hit Kouga.

                "Kouga joined us a little while ago." Taomaru explained distractedly, his bronze eye flicking from his nephew to his daughter in law to the angry Sesshomaru. "What happened?" 

                "I…changed." Inu Yasha said quietly, looking at Kagome with a sad expression.

                "You didn't!" Sango looked horrified and jumped on the bed followed by the alarmed monk. Miroku stood over the hanyou, looking positively evil in the light Sesshomaru, Taomaru and Kagome generated. He hit Inu Yasha, so angry that Kagome had been hurt again at the hanyou's hands. 

                "You hurt her _again?_" Miroku demanded, punctuating the new question with another punch. "You didn't learn to control yourself the first time so you changed and attacked Kagome when she got in your way? Is that it Inu Yasha?" Taomaru pulled his nephew from harms way before the angry monk could land another hit; Inu Yasha had made no move to defend himself against the onslaught at all. 

                "Attacked her again?" Kouga's eyes narrowed dangerously at the human boy.

                "Right," Taomaru said quickly, eyeing Kagome in Sesshomaru's arms. "We'd better see to Kagome." Sesshomaru stopped glaring at his brother and looked at Taomaru, his eyes bleeding from crimson to amber. The Demon Lord nodded and his uncle crept closer, beginning his examination. 

                Miroku continued to loom over Inu Yasha, desperately wanting to beat the hell out of the now human hanyou. Sango also couldn't keep the rage from her face as she stared at him, glad that she didn't have her boomerang at the moment- she might've hit Inu Yasha with it and killed him. Kouga hopped on the bed, his pack of wolves and Socrates remaining on the floor while Duchess jumped on the bed and immediately went to Inu Yasha's side, laying down beside and then licking the human boy. Realizing that the canine was now his only ally, Inu Yasha took comfort that he had not been completely deserted. 

                "What do you mean you changed?" Kouga demanded, plunking down next to Sango. 

                "As a hanyou, Inu Yasha can change into a human but he can also become the opposite." Miroku intoned.

                "He means that Inu Yasha can also turn demon." Shippo explained as Kouga gave the kitsune an incredulous look. "When Inu Yasha's life is threatened and his hanyou body cannot fight the threat, his demon blood takes over and he becomes a killing machine."

                Kouga blinked, digesting that bit of information. He stared at Inu Yasha and then glanced over at Kagome and the other two youkai. The wolf youkai arched his brows at the other three, about to speak, and Sango followed his gaze, shrieking in horror.

Notes:

                :::crawls out of the land of no internet:: I'm still here! I'm still here just a little out in the middle of nowhere. I'm still trying to fix things but with school now back, posting will resume as close to normal as possible. Please keep reading and thanks to everyone who has been patient enough to stick around and read this story. 

On a personal note, special thanks to Nat who's continued support has made me want to continue writing… even though I keep running into snags that are bigger than I am. I'm sorry I haven't written back but I'm gonna keep trying to. Also, Telos, I still live and will begin sending what I have done of Pt. 4. ::scratches her head and laughs faintly:: I think you are really not going to be happy with me. 

Hmm… what could possible happen next? It's not what your thinking. Keep an eye out for the next chapter and if you have time, please post on the review page- one of the few pleasures in my life is to read what you guys think. Again, please make sure you have the various plots straight- things are going to get confusing very shortly. 

Thank you everyone for reading!!!


	17. Diagnosis Trouble

Legal: Don't own Inu Yasha yadda, yadda, yadda, or anyone else except Tao and Momiji. Wish I owned them all, though. 

                **Okay, we're going to try this again! ::bows many times:: I am truly sorry about the formatting. I uploaded this chapter just like every other but I had no idea it went screwy. It wasn't until I was reading the review page (keep 'em coming please) and couldn't figure out what everyone was talking about. It was like, 'What's wrong with my paragraphs?' or 'One continuous what?' ::scratches head:: I almost dismissed it as grammatical errors till I opened up the chapter. Then I nearly screamed- which would have been bad since they would have banned me from the computer lab. Very, very bad. So, we're going to try this again. Please tell me if it doesn't work!!!!!**

Chapter 16: Diagnosis Trouble 

"What are you _doing?!" She screamed, moving forward over the bed, ready to slap Taomaru and Sesshomaru both- danger be damned! From the exterminator's point of view she had every right to be angry- Sesshomaru had propped Kagome up in a sitting fashion on the bed so Taomaru could examine the unconscious girl. This would normally not be a problem except for the small point of Kagome's nudity; Sesshomaru or Taomaru had pulled her robe down, exposing her body, and Sesshomaru was cupping her breasts, hiding the nipples from view. The Demon Lord's tail was wrapped around Kagome's waist, the pale whiteness in sharp contrast to the purple fabric already puddling there. Kagome's head was back, her eyes closed, her arms limp; Inu Yasha's mark could easily be seen as shiny pink scare tissue near her neck._

Inu Yasha and Miroku were both aware of Kagome's exposure and were as appalled at Sango. Kouga and Shippo were the only ones who didn't move to stop Taomaru and Sesshomaru; they sat on the bed as if having a friend stripped down to her birthday suit while unconscious were an every day event. Duchess repeatedly tripped Inu Yasha up as he moved forward to stop them and many times the human hanyou met the mattress with his face. Kouga grabbed hold of Sango and Miroku's clothing, holding them back from attacking either youkai. 

"Leave them be." Kouga said. "They can't heal her if they can't see the problem."

                "How can you-" Miroku sputtered, pointing at the scene.

                "Just sit there while they are _touching her?!" Sango demanded, pulling at the hand that held her. Kouga sighed and let go of the cloth he held and instead pinned both monk and exterminator on their stomachs by putting a hand on their backs. When Inu Yasha attempted to reach Kagome again, Kouga pinned the hanyou with his legs propped on his back. From Taomaru's point of view, it looked as if the wolf prince were lounging on top of the trio. Inu Yasha snarled, the sound muffled and warbling a little because his throat was no longer designed to produce it. Shippo jumped onto his head, hitting him soundly before hopping off and walking over to Sesshomaru's side.    _

                Seeing Shippo, Rin came back into view after scrambling behind Sesshomaru when Sango became upset. The two children sat beside each other watching the adults with wide, curious eyes. "Sesshomaru-sama," Rin began. "Why are you holding Kagome-onee-chan like that?" 

                Sesshomaru said nothing, his attention concentrated on Kagome and what he could sense through their mental rapport. Seeing that his nephew would not reply and that everyone under Kouga was getting royally worked up, Taomaru decided an explanation would probably be best. 

"Cloth gets in the way- it can hide things a doctor needs to see." The wolf dog told her. "This way I can check Kagome for injuries while Sesshomaru protects her modesty." 

                Kouga took up the explanation, slightly uncomfortable due to someone's elbow being jammed repeatedly into his thigh. He continued to lie on the three humans though, occasionally tormenting Inu Yasha by pushing his head into the mattress when the human hanyou got too irritating. "Nudity for humans and nudity for youkai is different." The angry bodies stopped fighting and he let up a little so they could sit up and listen. He didn't let them go completely however. "For youkai, nudity and sex aren't directly linked. In a pack it's not an uncommon occurrence to have a communal bath or something. In that close a setting, nudity is not seen as sexual- it's just nudity. I've heard of youkai witches who perform nude and it raises their power, though I don't know why."

                Taomaru trailed a careful claw down Kagome's abdomen. He had shifted into his half and half form, looking more like a cloth-wearing wolf walking upright, complete with swiveling ears on top of his head. One furry triangle rotated toward Kouga while the other was aimed at Kagome. "He's actually right. In the dog clan too there are ceremonies that involve nudity. With mates, bonded or not, the comfort of having your cuddle bunny's body against your helps to improve physical and emotional states."

                "Cuddle bunny?" Inu Yasha asked, Kouga finally allowing his head up. 

                "It's a phrase from Kagome's world." Sesshomaru said in a subdued voice. "It means your special someone, your boyfriend or girlfriend."

                "Is Kagome-onee-chan your cuddle bunny Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked innocently. Everyone stared at her and Sesshomaru's lips twitched into an almost smile. 

                "Yes," he said quietly, his hands twitching almost imperceptibly on her breasts. "Kagome is my cuddle bunny." Kouga and Inu Yasha both didn't like that, however Taomaru forestalled their arguments.

                "Sesshou, I need to look at her back." The youkai had his hands on her hips. He prodded her tummy and the center of her chest with a gentle knuckle. The wolf dog didn't know what he expected to find- a hand poking him back perhaps- but he didn't want to over look the possibility of anything. Taomaru pulled her robe back up to cover her while Sesshomaru removed his hands and working together they turned her around, one of her legs on either side of Sesshomaru's hips. The robe was pulled down again, Kagome's front hidden as she leaned against his chest. She didn't stir at all except to breath. 

                Taomaru began checking her back. He could see no obvious wounds, no demonstration of harm, but her temperature was still high- not as high as it had been, but still high. He began tapping his claws lightly over her skin, a glowing dance between his green power and hers. He never tapped hard enough to mar her skin but applied enough pressure to make the muscles under her skin react. So absorbed in his task, Taomaru didn't notice that the light he was casting had intensified, or that Sesshomaru had also begun to glow. "Come on Kagome," he murmured to himself absently. "Tell me where it hurts." 

                "I still don't see why she has to be nude." Miroku grumbled even though his eyes seemed to continuously wander toward the naked girl- it wasn't as if he wanted to (well then again…) but it was just that the scene was _right_ in front of him! He wiggled out from under Kouga and sat out of range, staring determinedly out at the darkness. Kouga let Sango and Inu Yasha up as well; ready to grab them again if they tried to interrupt the examination. 

                "A woman's body is sacred and not to be displayed." Sango said angrily, still wanting to rip her friend away from the overbearing duo. 

                Kouga snorted. "Nudity isn't that big a deal. Sexuality can be switched on and off- you just have to learn how. I've seen humans do it and youkai that do it." He paused. "How do Kagome's people handle it?"

                "Kagome's people?" Miroku echoed. He blinked, looking at Kagome; she looked perfectly human.

                "She's human." Sango said in surprise. 

                Inu Yasha and all the youkai in the room remained uncomfortably silent, not looking at either human. Even Shippo was not surprised by the question of Kagome's lack of humanity. Sango and Miroku looked at each other and then turned their anger on Inu Yasha. 

                "You knew?" Miroku asked. "Why didn't you say anything?"

                The now human hanyou muttered something under his breath that no one could understand. Kouga pushed his head into the mattress again, waited several seconds, then allowed Inu Yasha up. The hanyou didn't say anything, petting Duchess until Sesshomaru spoke for him. 

                "He didn't say anything because it was not important." The Demon Lord looked at them all and then looked at Kouga until the wolf youkai took his hand off Inu Yasha. The wolf prince bristled but scooted away a few feet, all the while maintaining eye contact with Sesshomaru. "Do not touch my brother." The pale youkai said, his voice promising immense punishment if disobeyed, a weight to his gaze like a physical force, his glowing form only adding to his presence. Beside Sesshomaru, Shippo inched away from him, Rin in tow. This did not escape Sesshomaru and he tossed his head, making his long silver white hair blanket their retreating forms. 

Shippo froze and Rin laughed, tugging lightly on her guardian's hair. Perfectly content and happy, the little girl began braiding the satiny strands, illuminated by the glow she was now covered in. Sesshomaru cranned his neck, looking down at Rin with a soft expression of approval and the little girl noticed that everything about him glowed amber; his skin, his tail, the stripes on his face, even the hair she held. 

"Sesshomaru-sama," she said laughing again. "You're so pretty!" He blinked, arching a brow at her with amused eyes.

                "Thank you Rin." He said and turned back to Taomaru and Kagome. Everyone else simply stared. 

While they waited for Taomaru's findings, Miroku's hand snuck closer to Sango's form. In the semidarkness, the demon exterminator couldn't see where the hand was aiming for and put her own hand in what was hopefully an intercept course. His fingers touched hers and paused briefly before covering her hand lightly. He held her hand tentatively and then squeezed. Sango started, glad of the lack of light and smiled to herself. She squeezed his hand lightly and then pulled away.

                While Kagome dealt with the Dog demons and Rin and Shippo had their own adventures, Sango and Miroku had been finding themselves alone with each other more frequently. Little by little, they had been showing affection for each other, always cautious of the other and each worrying about scaring the other off. Little touches like the one just now, just standing near each other, a wayward hand brushing the other's forearm; very almost insignificant wordless touches that still managed to convey feelings of affection and attraction between the two. It also helped that Miroku had rarely made a move to grope Sango- at least until they were camped out in front of Sesshomaru's door. Sango had been waiting for the moment he would relapse and, though annoyed about it, she was glad he had gotten it out of his system. She brushed her fingers against his hand and in the dim light she though she could see a small smile touch the monk's lips.

                Kouga did not like having to back down from Sesshomaru, but, for the moment, leaving the Dog Clan brothers alone would be the best option. After the war, after they had won, the wolf prince intended to challenge the claim on Kagome- she was his woman! His! That dog turd Inu Yasha couldn't even treat her right and now that bastard was human. There was no way in all the hells the now human hanyou would be able to protect her! One blow and Inu Yasha would be out of the running. This now led the wolf youkai to the question of Sesshomaru; what feelings did he hold for the young woman? Did he intend to use her to breed a stronger line? Was she simply something to be coveted and conquered? It was a mystery that made Kouga's blood boil in anger. If a challenge was issued and Sesshomaru accepted, Kouga would have a problem on his hands- Sesshomaru may have acquired his title by birthright, but his reputation as merciless in a fight was something he had earned. _Of course, Kouga thought, __I'm good in a fight too. With the Shikon shards in his legs and arm, there was no body that could defeat him. Reputation or no reputation, Sesshomaru would fall in a battle against Kouga, the wolf youkai was sure of it._

                Even sitting quietly, it was the youkai gathered on the bed with their sensitive hearing that heard the strange dragging sound. It was coming up the hall, toward the room they sat in. 

                "What is that?" Kouga asked and everyone turned to Sesshomaru- this being his castle and all. The Demon Lord frowned and, after pulling her robe up, handed Kagome to Taomaru. Sesshomaru fished Rin and Shippo out of his partially braided hair and set them on the bed as he left it. The wolves that had been lying on the floor got out of his way at lightening speed, dashing around to the other side of the bed while Kouga watched them in surprise. Sesshomaru strode across his den, not bothering to adjust the robe he wore, allowing the tied sash to hold the cloth in place as he moved.  The youkai did not wave the lights into being, casting enough light to illuminate half the room as he walked so he did not need them. He did not search for his swords, preparing to use only his claws to deal with the threat. He walked to his shredded door- it was going to be annoying to replace that, he noted- and stepped through the hole. By now, Sang, Miroku and Inu Yasha were on their feet, ready to do battle. Youkai and human were surprised alike when Kagome's bag dragged itself over the broken wood of the door and into the room. 

                With both eyebrows raised, Sesshomaru followed behind the bag, letting it reach mid room before putting a foot on it to halt its progress. The Demon Lord crossed his arms and looked at Inu Yasha.

"Why is Kagome's bag moving by itself?" He asked his brother, sure that the human would know. For whatever reason, Sesshomaru could no longer pass mental messages to his brother or his uncle, reinforcing the growing suspicion that Kagome was their channel to each other. The human hanyou shrugged, staring at the offending pack. 

                "It doesn't normally do that." Shippo said from the bed. 

                "Implying that it sometimes does?" Miroku asked wryly. 

                The bag under Sesshomaru's foot continued to struggle forward, never ceasing in its efforts. It was as if there was something _alive inside the pack and it was trying to make its way to Kagome. Sesshomaru blinked, sure that that was the case- whatever was moving in the bag was trying to reach Kagome. He said as much and Taomaru's eyebrow shot up. _

                "Sesshou let the bag go and let's see what is so intent on getting to our miko." Kagome was still unresponsive but under her skin, Taomaru sensed movement, a power moving about and making itself comfortable- like it was setting up house. Maybe whatever was trying to get to Kagome was trying to help her exorcise the new presence. 

The Demon Lord frowned at the request but complied, keeping pace with it as it dragged itself across the floor; his curiosity was piqued anyway. The usually inanimate object continued its journey until it ran into the bed. Then the thing began to rattle and jerk, something inside struggled to be free. At last there was a sound like glass shattering and then multiple holes appeared in the bag's material as small projectiles pierced it.

Everyone stared and then abruptly, Kouga let out a cry of pain as the Shikon shards in his arm and legs ripped out of his skin. Blood spurted and the youkai made a grab for the pink shards as they joined the shards -their brethren- dancing in the air before Sesshomaru. Gradually, Sesshomaru, Kagome and Taomaru stopped glowing, the only illumination in the room now from the floating shards.

"Pretty." Rin said, starring at the shards. Shippo nodded, open-mouthed.

                Sango and Miroku stared, the monk feeling a shifting in his robes as his own shards broke free and joined the others. Kouga rubbed at his wounds even though they had already closed, eyes riveted at the luminescent pieces of the Shikon Jewel. Duchess whined and moved closer to Kagome, Socrates jumping up to stand beside her. 

                "The Shikon shards." Taomaru breathed, looking from the dancing shards to Kagome's limp form. "She called and they came."  

                Sesshomaru merely nodded, as bewildered as everyone else but unwilling to show it. It made sense; Kagome had called on his and Taomaru's power for help, but the girl was still obviously suffering from whatever affected her. That power had to have gone _somewhere if not to chase the invader out of her body and now the unspoken riddle of just where it had gone was solved. The shards danced in an unfelt wind like silent wind chimes, glinting in their own light. _

                "But this begs the question, how are they going to help?" Miroku said quietly and the shards in their strange dance sped up. They swirled, chasing each other and first dipped down, then spiraled up. If it hadn't been so bizarre, everyone would have agreed that it was one of the most beautiful sights they had ever seen. The small slivers of the Shikon jewel spun around each other faster, merging together as they moved. More tiny shards appeared as the dance continued, these chunks darker than the others and giving off a menacing aura. 

                "Naraku's shards." Sango whispered, feeling the familiar evil wash over her skin. She watched the brighter shards, the ones that had first answered Kagome's shout, the healthy pink encouraging the new shards to become the same color. 

                "Kagome called them," Shippo said in awe. "But Midoriko is helping to purify them."

                "Who?" Kouga asked, confused and dismayed. How was he supposed to beat Sesshomaru when the time for challenge came without his Shikon shards? Impulsively, Kouga grabbed three random shards and attempted to insert them under his skin again. The shards burned his hands, making them smoke and finally burst into flame. Normally this wouldn't bother the youkai except the pain was intense- a hundred times more painful than a regular flame. Kouga hissed and let go. The shards immediately joined the others and drifted further out of the wolf youkai's reach and closer to Sesshomaru. 

                "Midoriko was the miko who created the Shikon Jewel- the latter being a by product of her last fight against hundreds of fused youkai." Taomaru explained. "Her soul and the souls of the youkai she fought against are sealed inside that tiny gem." He paused thoughtfully. "If Midoriko's soul wasn't locked in constant combat, I would have said that Kagome was her reincarnation."

                Sango blinked, a question on her lips. She was about to voice it right then but Momiji walked through the hole in the door. The ghost woman was no longer transparent- she was solid and looked very princess like. Momiji strode into the room, frowning and looking determined. The dead woman was not alone however and perhaps that was the cause of her shift in demeanor. In each arm she carried a child, one with midnight dark hair and the other had silver white. The ghost generated her own light as she moved, illuminating her charges. She glanced at the walls of Sesshomaru's den, the question as to why there were no lights written on her frowning face, taking in all the occupants of the bed and the moving Shikon Shards in a glance. She stopped beside Sesshomaru by the bed, cuddling the two children she held. She looked between the Demon Lord and Taomaru as she spoke. 

"We have a _very big problem." And she laid the two unconscious kids on the bed._

                "My God," Sango said. 

                "By Buddha!" Miroku gasped.

                "What the fuck?!" Kouga yelled. They all looked down at the new comers and then at Inu Yasha and then finally at Kagome. Inu Yasha took one look at the two kids and promptly fainted. Everyone else could only stare in silence as they all reached the same observation. 

                "They look like Kagome-onee-chan and Inu Yasha-sama." Rin said seriously, also looking at the two unconscious teens. "Sesshomaru-sama, is there a Sesshomaru-chan walking around too?" She watched her guardian quizzically as his eye twitched while he straightened his robe and folded his arms.

                "Hope not." Taomaru muttered and picked up the tiny version of Inu Yasha. The small body was indeed a slightly battered, miniature version of the hanyou they all knew- fuzzy dog ears and all except for a stripe gracing each cheek and a fluffy tail. Sesshomaru took the child Kagome into his arms, noting that she was also battered in places, her non-youkai body not equipped with the ability to heal the myriad scrapes and cuts in her flesh. Of the two, Kagome-chan, so to speak, was the worse for wear with her clothing torn in several spots. Rin crept closer to the edge of the bed and, without thinking, Sesshomaru picked his ward up, comparing the two children. Rin was what in human years? Five, six? Whatever her age, Rin was bigger in size in comparison to the diminutive Kagome in his arms. 

                "Princess Momiji, where did they come from?" Miroku asked, his face pale. He had moved closer to Taomaru to examine the smaller Inu Yasha. The monk took the child and Taomaru took Kagome from Sesshomaru, looking the battered little girl over while making tsking noises. Sango took the hanyou child next, cradling the child as Shippo looked him over from his seat on her shoulder. 

                "Halfway here, actually. They looked like this when I found them."

                "He looks so small." Shippo said quietly, gently pushing some hair out of the small Inu Yasha's face. Kouga peered at both the child hanyou and the now rousing teenage hanyou. The kitsune was right; the child looked so small, so helpless, so vulnerable sleeping in the exterminator's arms that it was hard to believe the kid was related to Inu Yasha. 

                Sesshomaru set Rin down and the little girl moved to the teenage Kagome's side. The Demon Lord wordlessly took his child brother from Sango and held him, absently tracing a finger over Inu Yasha's stripes. Sesshomaru racked his brains for an approximation of the child's age and for the first time came up blank. The child roused, gripping the finger that touched him.

                Tired gold eyes opened slowly and blinked up at Sesshomaru. "Oniichan." The child Inu Yasha said, letting go of his elder brother's finger and letting his hand fall back to hang over Sesshomaru's arm. For the first time the Demon Lord noticed Inu Yasha's clothing, the decorative kimono the child wore with his father's emblem on the sleeves. The cloth was soft, a far cry from the scratchy material of the yukata the hanyou would don later in life. Doing the math, Sesshou approximated that the child Inu Yasha was three or four years of age.

                "Oniichan, is Kago-chan okay?" The hanyou child asked, his eyes closing. The pale youkai frowned; he was going back to sleep again and Sesshomaru needed answers first. 

                "Yes," Sesshomaru said quietly, remembering how sensitive Inu Yasha's ears could be at close range. It was something Sesshomaru had dismissed in his youth since his baby brother had been a hanyou; after all, there was no way the hanyou's hearing could have been more sensitive than his youkai brother's. But… Inu Yasha had stripes on his cheek-and a tail if that was what Sesshomaru was feeling against his skin- and distantly, a part of Sesshomaru was not surprised, knowing that it had been after the stripes and tail had disappeared that Sesshomaru had ever paid any attention to his younger brother. Actually, now that the Demon Lord thought about it, that had been around the same time their father had had his fangs made into the two swords, Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. 

Since then, Inu Yasha's stripes appeared only when he turned demon- when he had been in a life and death battle and separated from his sword. _The sword sealed in his eye! Sesshomaru's mind clicked, all the pieces falling into place. A tug on his shirt made him pay attention to the child in his arms and temporarily derail his train of thought._

                "No, is she _okay?" the child Inu Yasha persisted, his hand pulling on Sesshomaru's sleeping robe. Little Inu Yasha was obviously tired but was still waiting for a definitive answer from his big brother. _

                "She's alright, Inu-chan. A healer is seeing to her." Sesshomaru's eyes flicked to Taomaru on the bed and to the little Kagome cradled in his arms. 

                "Good," Inu-chan muttered, laying passive in his big brother's arms again. "Sesshou, you have to get her."

                "Get who?" The Demon Lord felt a chill down his back that had nothing to do with the cold floor under his feet.

                "A lady, a big lady in miko robes. Long dark hair and pale." Inu Yasha's eyes opened widely for a moment, conveying the urgency and alarm the little hanyou felt. "She smells of death and grave dirt." The child's voice squeaked a bit, his wide eyes openly frightened. "She saw us and she, she hurt Kago-chan and I tried to stop her but I couldn't! She kept hurting Kago-chan! We ran away…" Inu-chan lay back against his brother's arms, confident that Sesshomaru would deal with the problem since he was so strong. 

                "Is he alright?" Momiji asked in alarm, eyeing the child. 

                "He's asleep." Sesshomaru murmured, looking down at his diminutive brother. Truth be told, Sesshomaru sometimes missed the close relationship he had once had with his younger brother, hanyou or not. It was only after the question of the swords had appeared that their relationship had dwindled- the swords and a possible threat to their lives from inside the castle. Sesshomaru shifted Inu-chan's position, letting the little body rest against his shoulder, just as the Demon Lord had allowed the youngster to do so long ago, and scratched the furry dog ears that sat atop Inu-chan's head. 

                This suddenly affectionate behavior stunned almost everyone present, most of all the teenage Inu Yasha. Kouga also watched the Demon Lord with interest- what Taomaru had said was true about Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha's strange relationship; the fight over Kagome would not be as easy as he had thought. There was a peaceful silence as everyone studied the new problems presented; the two children and the reforming Shikon Jewel. After a few minutes, Sango, Shippo and Miroku slid off the bed, moving toward the door. 

                "Where are you going?" Kouga asked, watching Kagome's two dogs follow after them. The pack of wolves in turn following the two dogs and making quite a parade

                "The woman…Inu-chan… described is Kikyo. If she's upstairs and causing trouble, she has to be stopped or we won't have to worry about the Dark Army." Sango explained, jogging out the door to go fetch her boomerang. 

                "If it's Kikyo, I'm coming too." Inu Yasha said, sliding off the bed and looking determined. If it was a fight involving her, he had to be there to help- though he didn't know which side he was truly on. His heart hurt at the thought of having to harm his ladylove, the one who had died to follow him when all thought he was dead. It didn't matter that the dead miko was full of hate toward him, constantly trying to kill the hanyou and his companions. It had to be a misunderstanding! If he could only talk to her, only get her to _listen, he knew he'd be able to make her see the error of her ways. He would simply have to keep her from harm until she realized that she was wrong and that meant going with the monk and exterminator to sabotage their efforts. _

                Taomaru looked at the human boy. "I think it would be best if you stayed here until you're back to normal." The elder youkai said thoughtfully, his eye pure bronze. 

                Human Inu Yasha shook his head. "Kikyo is my responsibility. I'm going." Sango, Miroku and Shippo looked at each other and then at the human hanyou in concern. 

                "Inu Yasha, it would be best if you remained with Lady Kagome." Miroku said seriously, tapping his staff on the floor and making it chime. 

                "We've handled her before." Sango said, slinging her huge weapon on her back. Shippo jumped onto her shoulder.

                "Besides," the little kitsune said bluntly. "You'd only try to stop us." And with that, they left the room. 

                Frowning, Inu Yasha moved forward. There was no way they would leave him behind! He had to follow them, had to make sure he could talk to Kikyo and make her understand. He had a loyalty to the woman, to the shell of his former love and he, by God, would see it through. Inu Yasha slid off the bed and determinedly strode by Sesshomaru. He didn't make it very far before what was left of Sesshomaru's tail wrapped around his brother's feet and pulled him into the air. 

"Hey!" human Inu Yasha yelled, kicking uselessly and trying to untie the furry length around his ankles. "Damn it! Let me go! I have to go talk to Kikyo!" It did not escape anyone that he had said 'talk to' instead of 'stop.' 

                Sesshomaru continued to dangle his brother a few seconds more before flinging the human into the bed again. "Stay there." Was all the youkai said as he continued to scratch behind Inu-chan's ears. The human hanyou rose defiantly and jumped off the mattress. With a sigh that startled the human momentarily, Taomaru decked his nephew and let the human fall to the floor. 

                "Like this he's less of a bother." Taomaru explained. "Until we get him back to normal, we cannot allow him to leave no matter what the cause." While looking at the unconscious hanyou and battered children, the forming jewel disappeared, shards and all, until the light they cast winked out. It was several seconds before Taomaru and Sesshomaru noticed the absence, absorbed with looking out for their strange new charges. They ignored the ghost woman still standing in the room, assuming that she had left with the others. But Momiji, once great princess of this castle, watched the shards vanish as it had happened. She looked at Kagome, nodded to herself, and disappeared from the room as well.

                Notes: Well, what was that all about? Child versions of Kagome and Inu Yasha start appearing, Momiji finally gets more of a personality, a moment of insight into the relationship between Sesshou and Inu Yasha. ::scratches her head:: damn, where is all this going? You'll just have to keep reading to find out. For those that are interested, there will be a bit more behind why Sesshou and Inu went their separate ways and just what's been happening with Kikyo though that'll come in later- and believe me, you won't believe who else shows up! 

            Um, I'm sorry this chapter was so late. I didn't get a chance to edit Monday or Tuesday so I couldn't post, then when I was going to on Wednesday, FFN was down to commemorate 9/11 (which was thoughtful, I think) so I was going to post Thursday. Thursday rolls around… and FFN is still showing the flag… even though it was supposed to be up and running. ::annoyed:: And then Friday- Sunday I worked so I couldn't post so Now it's Monday and hopefully FFN will be up!


	18. Run this by me again

Legal: I own no one but my original characters!

Chapter 17:  "Run this by me again…."

                                                                ~A. Van Helsing  

(I'm trying a new way of naming chapters. It gets rather boring doing it the same way all the time.)

                'What's going on?' I asked weakly, waking up again and listening to the activity around me. I was groggy and wondered what had awakened me- and where the hell I was. It was like the weird space I had fallen into after Sesshomaru knocked me out, several hours before. Even with the Inu Yasha's demon power nestled inside me, the place was still not scary. 

                'We are sleeping. Rest.' Came the sleepy reply. I felt Inu Yasha's power stretch, and then cuddle up against me. I felt it like a physical presence resting beside me. It was a weird sensation, especially when I should have been alone. What it said though was interesting; was this sleep for Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha? For a youkai, I guess it was rare moment when they weren't worrying about attack. For Inu Yasha I could see the logic in it; the hanyou never fit in either culture and was constantly being threatened. If this was how he 'slept,' partially alert to the goings on around him and ready to snap to attention in a flash, it was no wonder he had saved our bacon so many times while traveling. For Sesshomaru I guess it was just a way to make sure he didn't die in his sleep due to assassins.

                'You brought me here and you did last time, too.' I said quietly, the memory of that time flashing through my head. 

                I felt the ghost of a touch on my upper chest- or what I though of as my upper chest. God this was confusing! This in-between, if you would, was like a place where physical substance was                 more like a memory or a faint sensation- a pale reproduction to the original. I felt like I was lying down with another body next to me, putting their head on my chest in an effort to placate my questioning, to comfort me. The body beside me was larger, warmer, and slightly furry. Because this place was dark, I didn't know if Inu Yasha's power were in its full dog form, or still humanoid. Wait; did it have a full canine form? Eep.  

                'Rest.' The voice was internal and external at the same time. 'Your body is readjusting to its power again. It needs to rest.' The body beside me straightened, and I felt myself being turned on my side for spooning. Strong arms wrapped around me, holding me close and keeping me warm as a furry prehensile length wrapped around us both. 

                'I can't.' I sighed, images of why I couldn't rest forming in my mind. 'A battle is on its way. I have to help my friends. And you have to go back to Inu Yasha.'

                'I do not wish to leave. You are mate, you are home.' A warm feeling trickled through my body, making me want to stay here forever and I knew, in that moment, that this was the same feeling I would have felt if I had allowed myself to enjoy Inu Yasha's embrace. It made me warm from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. 

                'You have to go back.' I didn't think either of us would live if the hanyou's demon side didn't go back to where it belonged. Miko powers or not, it had shocked the hell out of my body when it had first roared into me. 

                'You hate us in that body.' Us were both of Inu Yasha's natures, human and hanyou, and I knew this from the images I saw behind my eyelids. It was right in a way; at the moment, Inu Yasha and I were at odds over just about anything dealing with a relationship. Actually, that was something that bothered me greatly. This side of Inu Yasha was adamant about me being its mate- why did the complete Inu Yasha waffle between Kikyo and me in reality?

                'We are mates, bound till death.' That somehow wasn't comforting under the circumstances. 'My human counterpart is the part that feels he has a duty toward the false one. He likes you too, but is constrained by his duty and conflicting emotions. I love you and know you are mate- the only one for us.' The body against me shuttered suddenly. 'You are right- we love that we can rest inside you, but we cannot stay.  However,' and now it sounded worried. 'Tetsusaiga is inside our body again. If we return, we will not be able to feel you anymore.'

                'Feel me?' I asked.

                'Yes, with Tetsusaiga back inside our body, I will be sealed and our brother side will be back in control. You will hate us and go to Sesshomaru or go home and never return.'

                'I can't go home, not permanently anyway. I still have shards to collect.' I sighed. 

                'Your power…calls back that which is yours by right and summons allies to your aid. Soon, you will go away and leave us all alone.' If it had been possible, I would have said it was crying. 'Mate, don't go!' It begged. 'Don't leave us!' Abruptly the presence against me shuttered, spasming as it held me. 

                'You have to go!' I told it. I didn't know what the problem was for sure but I did have a sinking feeling about it. If you separated two halves of a whole, sooner or later, the halves would start to miss each other. 'Go back to Inu Yasha and we'll talk later!' It continued to spasm, clutching me and not moving or perhaps too weak to move. Right then, it was up to me. Damn it.

                "What I want to know," Kouga said, his arms crossed. "Is where that sword of his went. He carries it everywhere and I haven't seen it around at all."

                Sesshomaru's brows met as they knitted together. Where was the sword, anyway? This was the first time Sesshomaru had thought about it- Inu Yasha never went anywhere with out it, and rightfully so considering the value of the blade. It was indeed missing. The hanyou hadn't had it in the bathroom when he attempted to change; the sword wasn't in Sesshomaru's room at all. Had the idiot mongrel left it in the room further down the hall, the place Kagome's backpack had dragged itself from? 

A scalding rage filled Sesshomaru, making him tense up so much that the youkai had to force himself to relax his hands before he inadvertently strangled Inu-chan. To think- even remotely- that the hanyou could or would be so careless as to toss away such a powerful heirloom…. Sesshomaru's tail fluffed out to three times its normal size. His eyes bled red and the effort he was putting forward not to beat the hell out of Inu Yasha was visible to everyone. Wisely though, they chose to ignore his surge in temper- an interesting feat considering that the air around him was wavering and doing a close impression of the atmospheric conditions of the Sahara desert at high noon.  

Out of the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru could see Kagome slowly reviving. It was a fortuitous incident- the youkai was ready to kill something, allies or not. 

                Kouga noticed too and was leaving over her slightly, Rin doing the same on Kagome's unoccupied side. "Kagome-chan!" the little girl cried, making everyone wince. 

                "Rin, quiet." Sesshomaru ordered, striding to the bad and stepping over his unconscious brother on the floor. Kagome's hands flexed, her eye lids fluttering as she slowly came round. She blinked mismatched eyes, one gold and one blue. The girls swallowed in an attempt to speak.

                "Shh, Kagome." Kouga said quietly and she looked at him, her surprise evident. Her eyes found Sesshomaru and he offered a very small smile as she caught site of the little boy laying in his arms. Kagome craned her neck and found Taomaru and the child version of herself. She blinked and then sat up quickly. 

                The dark haired woman wobbled and Sesshomaru caught her hand to keep her upright. Kouga also supported her, and she leaned heavily against him. "Kouga-kun," her voice was scratchy. "What are you doing here?" 

                "Your dogs came and got me." She looked at him, her confusion evident.

                "A matter to be discussed later." Sesshomaru said and heard human Inu Yasha stir. The human stood, wobbling and stared at Kagome. He blinked and then turned to leave after only glancing at the girl on the bed.

                "Stop him," Kagome pleaded, completely forgetting about the sit spell.  Sesshomaru's tail shot out to grab the hanyou before he could get far. This time Inu Yasha was ready and jumped to avoid it, unfortunately making Kouga able to snag him. Inu Yasha fought, struggling against the wolf youkai's strong grip without success. The human hanyou now looked at Kagome with more interest, especially since she had begun to glow. The girl stood uncertainly and tottered across the floor after a helping hand from Sesshomaru. When the youkai saw she would not fall, he set Inu-chan down on the bed and paced beside her to Kouga. 

"Hold him." Kagome ordered and Kouga obeyed, tightening his grip on Inu Yasha.

She wore a pained expression as she walked to the hanyou, her steps unsure and unbalanced. Kagome glowed a bright pink, illuminating the room entirely. She was beautiful, a heavenly thing that seemed unreal, and Inu Yasha's face twisted into a look of pure terror. He fought Kouga desperately, his flailing limbs reaching a fever pitch of desperation when the pink light emanating from the girl turned golden. Kagome extended her glowing hands, capturing Inu Yasha's face between them. "I make you whole again." She whispered and her lips met Inu Yasha's in a chaste kiss. The golden haze around her poured over Inu Yasha and encased him in its power. He screamed in pain and anger, falling to the floor as Kouga let him go. Kagome took a step back and Sesshomaru promptly picked up the shaking girl. The barrier she had put in place to bar them from her thoughts crumbled and now both Sesshomaru and Taomaru could talk to her privately again- and feel her emotions.

_                Are you alright? Sesshomaru asked and Kagome nodded as she leaned against his chest. The girl still shook; a fine continuous trembling that belied her nod of being alright. She curled a hand around the fabric of his sleeping robe, cuddling closer as if his touch could stop her muscles' movements. She had stopped glowing and in the darkness that followed, Sesshomaru could sense her body's need for rest. Just what the hell had happened in the bathroom? He felt her mind beginning to shut down, not to sleep but just closing her off from everyone around her until she could readjust to everything. Some hurt had been done to her, though Sesshomaru did not know what- he just knew it had every thing to do with what she had just done to the twitching whimpering body on the floor. _

_No, Kagome; don't go down that path, don't shut yourself away. Sesshomaru pleaded with her, looking at Taomaru for help as he brought her to the bed._

_Kagome, you're feeling weak. The elder youkai tried in a calm mental tone. __Let us help, please little one? Sesshomaru jumped onto the bed and settled Kagome in a nest of blankets._

Kouga jumped up beside them. "Will she be alright?" The wolf prince wanted to touch her but after a threatening glance from Sesshomaru he decided against it. 

"We don't know." Taomaru said softly, his eye grey bronze as he picked up the still unconscious child Kagome and Inu Yasha. He pulled Rin into his lap as well, the little girl saying nothing, her eyes huge. "Kagome is the weakest of us physically." He continued. "She is also the most emotional and is acting as a regulator between us all. That mental exhaustion is making her sick, the symptoms manifesting in a pattern that she ignores to keep up with us all." Taomaru took a breath, letting it shutter through his frame and turn his eye pure bronze. "She has many roles to play because of her power and the stress is too much for her. All of us were too busy to notice, wrapped up in our own problems."

"The bond is doing it too." Kouga said in a somber voice. Everyone looked at him uncomprehendingly. "The bond exists between two people. Two. Even if it's only minimal, that quiet link between mates can allow for a very intimate relationship on a basic level. Without a designated mate, Kagome is slowly being torn apart by you three. She is not human, but she is still mortal." The wolf youkai looked at the floor and presumably at Inu Yasha. "Couldn't you count, dog turd?!"

Somehow, it was slightly demeaning to have such an insightful remark come from the halfwit wolf youkai. Sesshomaru felt insulted and irritated, but knew that it was mostly toward himself for not making the connections; Kouga still made a more convenient target, though. "We will either have to pick who will be her mate amongst ourselves while Kagome in unable to do so or break the bond somehow."

                "How did you know she had no established mate?" Rin asked, stumbling over some of the unfamiliar words. 

                The wolf prince tapped the skin between his shoulder and neck. "I saw only one mate mark on her flesh. If she had picked her mate she would have two."

                "As off track as this is," Taomaru said and gestured toward the two children he held in his arms. "You realize that these two change everything."

                "Explain." Sesshomaru frowned.

                "When Inu-chan here woke up he asked about Kago-chan; these two had already met upstairs." Taomaru looked at his nephew hard. "As far as time is concerned, it means that Inu Yasha met Kagome as children, long _before he had ever met or heard of Kikyo." Kouga looked at him blankly._

                The wolf dog growled in frustration, his bronze eye tinted red. "In other words, Inu Yasha knew Kagome first as friends. It means that, for Inu Yasha, _Kikyo was a replacement for Kagome; not the other way around! The two look alike and though Kikyo existed first, __she became the replacement for Inu Yasha's affection for Kagome!" _

Notes:  Whoa! Is that a switch or what? So, Kikyo is Kagome's replacement and Kagome knew Inu Yasha as kids…  Eep. This issue has been kinda like the chicken and the egg problem- which came first? Who does Inu Yasha love more? ::scratches head::  Well, which side are we talking about? (Give me time everyone and keep an open mind. Suspension of disbelief and all that.) If Inu knew Kagome first, how did they meet? And, if the hanyou did actually have a relationship with her, did he ever really have any affection for Kikyo?

                And what are the ramifications going to be after Inu's two natures were separated? Will he still be our lovable hero or will he simply tear everyone to bits as he loses his mind? Where's the Tetsusagia? Where's Kikyo? What else could possibly happen?! How about an explanation about the relationship between our two favorite brothers for starters? Please click back, same day, same site, next week for a new chapter!


	19. Would the real Inu Yasha please stand up...

Sorry everyone! Here we go again!!!

Chapter 18: Would the real Inu Yasha please stand up?

Legal: You know the drill. Tao, Momiji. They're mine. The others aren't.

"Existed first? Replacements?" Kouga was lost and Taomaru had to repress the blatant urge to throttle the wolf prince. In a clipped, annoyed-this-should-be-so-obvious voice, he explained about Kikyo and Kagome's connection to each other and to Inu Yasha. The wolf dog also explained about the Shikon Jewel and its origin and how it had reappeared in their world. Despite his irritation at himself, Sesshomaru learned a great deal about the girl in his arms and his twitching brother on the floor.

                "If all that's true, then how can any of this be happening?" Kouga asked, his mind reeling with all the sudden info.

                "Time does not always flow in a straight line." Momiji's voice startled them all as she reappeared. "Time will loop upon itself and form gateways or passages. Think of it as a river or stream; like both, time can form side passages along its path. Some of those paths snake away and form new rivers. Some travel on and feed other existing streams. Some will forge a path parallel to its source, have its own separate adventures and eventually rejoin the original river, bringing new things with its water."

                They all stared at her, blinking. The ghost humphed, rolling her eyes and going to check on Inu Yasha. "If you didn't want the answer," she huffed. "You shouldn't have asked." She leaned over the rousing hanyou, checking on him. Sesshomaru looked at his recovering brother and held Kagome tighter. The youkai inhaled deeply, filling his nostrils with her delicate, gentle- His eyes widened and he looked sharply at the curled girl in his lap. Inwardly he groaned from sheer frustration. _Why do these things always_

_happen__ to me?! He shifted Kagome as his mind wandered to other places, the movement making him more aware of her scent and Sesshomaru felt his body react instantly, wondering how the hell he had not noticed the delicious fragrance of fertility before. _

He sighed and ground his teeth as more of her scent went into is lungs, making a growing problem worse. He curled his tail around his waist in an effort to buffer her abused body from any more inadvertent poking. A few feet away Kouga sniffed, noticing Kagome's scent as well. The wolf sighed deeply, reveling in feeling his own body react. The only one not bothered by the girl's potent scent was Taomaru who did not see Kagome as any kind of sexual object. 

Unbeknownst to Kagome and everyone else until now, she was beginning her heat cycle and that only added to the tension and complexity of the mess they were all in. Sesshomaru wondered if Inu Yasha had known and got an inkling of a memory in response; when Inu Yasha had met her in her bedroom, dopey from her perfume, he had hugged her and inhaled deeply. The hanyou had known then that within the next week she would be irresistible to any one- the memory from Inu Yasha set Sesshomaru on edge.

                "Gods," Inu Yasha's voice sounded strained as he sat up on the floor- as if his rousing were summoned by Sesshomaru's intrusion into the hanyou's memories. No one bothered to watch him except Momiji; an ear would be sufficient for everyone else to track the hanyou. The sounds of rummaging filled the silence that his waking had caused. 

                "What are you looking for?" Momiji asked politely, looking over the dark haired teen's shoulder. He was tearing into Kagome's traveling bag, scattering its contents on the floor.

                "Food." Inu Yasha said, his voice a slight growl of annoyance as he dug. He found the timer and tossed it on the bed. A thermos of water and the hot plate followed it. The dreaded bottle of aspirin landed next to Sesshomaru, rattling innocently, as Inu Yasha dug further into the back pack. Kouga picked up the last and shook it, trying to open the childproof bottle. Chocolate bars flew through the air and Taomaru picked up two, offering one to Rin as he unwrapped one. Sesshomaru picked up a chocolate bar of his own, breaking it in half and offering some to Kagome. She shook her head, turning away and curling into a ball against his chest. The dog youkai felt alarmed and tried to coax her with a mental smile, a projection of warmth that he hoped would encourage her to eat. She shook her head again and he didn't press her further, silently telling Taomaru about it while he ate his half of the chocolate bar.  

                Kouga sniffed at one of the candies. "What is it?"

                "It's good!" Rin said, half the bar smeared across her face and hands. A blue bronze eyed Taomaru smiled, finishing his own bar. 

                "Gotcha!" Inu Yasha crowed his victory, tossing the ramen cups on the bed and finally standing, now visible to all. He held Kagome's camping kettle in one hand, the other rubbing the side of his head while he yawned. He blinked when they all stared at him. The hanyou looked around and behind himself, trying to find the object of their curiosity. Inu Yasha twitched his tail in agitation while he glared back defiantly, his ears flattened back along his head while he started making dinner. 

                He filled the kettle, twisting open the thermos and purposely ignored them all.  He filled the kettle, disappearing briefly as he set the portable heater to work warming the kettle. His dark hair began sliding forward and after a second of searching he tied it back with one of Kagome's hair ties. "What?" he demanded, standing up, setting the timer and taking the aspirin from Kouga. Inu Yasha opened the bottle easily, tossing two of the capsules in his mouth and chasing them down with a soda from Kagome's bag. The hanyou continued to sip his soda as he crossed his arms, his tail dancing behind him. 

                "Inu Yasha-sama?" Rin asked curiously, crawling across the bed toward him. He arched a brow at her but gave her a lopsided smile. His ears tracked Sesshomaru and Kouga while he bent down closer to the child. Rin touched one ear gently and he let her do it. The little girl pulled on the dark hair of his bangs and he made no move to stop her. She touched the stripes on his face, one under each eye, and again he let her explore. The hanyou grinned at her, tickling her face with his soft tail. She giggled, tugging on it. The timer went off, making everybody jump. Inu Yasha poured the warm water into the two ramen cups and reset the timer for them to cook accurately. 

                "What are you doing?" Rin asked watching him. 

                "Well," he replied, watching the clock impatiently and drinking the rest of his soda. "Since no one is telling me what's going on, I'm making some dinner for Kagome and me. I'm starving and have a killer headache." The timer beeped again and the hanyou pulled out some chopsticks, digging in greedily. "Sesshou, sit Kagome up and let her have some." 

                "I will not let her near that unless I know what it is." The pale youkai bristled, shocked and amazed at his brother's sudden transformation. Except for the furry white triangles twitching atop Inu Yasha's dark head, the hanyou looked like a full youkai- complete with stripes. Right now Inu Yasha was glaring at his brother, holding out the cup of noodles.

                "Its food, you idiot," the hanyou rolled his eyes. "Kagome's hungry and this'll help." Sesshomaru still made no move to take the cup and Inu Yasha set it down on a bed stand nearby. He wolfed down the remainder of his own cup and set the trash aside. He jumped onto the bed, the movement graceful and quicker than he normally moved. He settled beside Sesshomaru unbothered by the menace radiating off the youkai. Using his newly acquired strength and speed, Inu Yasha took Kagome from Sesshomaru, pushing the latter away with the dark length of his tail. 

                "Hey Kago-chan." And he sat Kagome straddling his hips as he lay down. His tail buffered her seat and wrapped around her feet, her back resting against his legs. Kagome blinked down at Inu Yasha trying to figure out what had happened and who this was. Sesshomaru and Kouga made to pull the two apart and Taomaru stopped them with an outstretched hand blocking them. He shook his head wordlessly at them, bronze eye intent on the couple as Inu Yasha stretched for the food he had made Kagome. He offered her the cup and a pair of chopsticks to her and Kagome took both and began eating. Inu Yasha grinned at her, the same sexy smile she had long ago claimed possession of, and looked at the ceiling, his hands folded on his chest. His eyes drifted shut, but a claw tickling Kagome's foot let her know he was still awake.

                "Inu Yasha?" I asked, just to make sure that he was okay. Truth be told, I had some reservations about the being I was sitting on top of. A claw ran its way up the sole of one of my bare feet. I twitched the foot away, suppressing the urge to jump in surprise- didn't want to spill soup all over either of us. I looked over at Sesshomaru and Taomaru, arching a brow. Sesshomaru remained impassive but watched Inu Yasha closely; Taomaru merely shrugged his shoulders, his arms supporting two little bodies. I blinked, my question written all over my face. I felt a tug on my sleeve and found Rin. She was sniffing at my soup and I guess I wasn't the only one who was hungry. I leaned over the bed, trying to find a spare pair of chopsticks.

                "Here." With his eyes closed, Inu Yasha pulled a pair of unused chopsticks from his sleeve and held them up for me to take. 

                I took them and handed them to Rin, inviting her to share with me. "Thank you." I said sincerely. "Now, Inu Yasha-" He cut me off by holding up a finger and cracking a gold eye open.

                "Eat first, Kago-chan. Ask after." 

                "Kago-chan?" Wow. I blinked, surprised after hearing the name. It had been so long since I had been called that; distantly a memory stirred. I took an experimental bite of the noodles, my brows drawn together as I considered the taste. There was a reason I didn't let Inu Yasha cook very often and not being familiar with the methods and equipment was only a part of it.

                "Don't eat it Kagome if you don't want to." Kouga said. Oh yah; I'd forgotten the wolf prince was still in the room. I know he meant well but I had the feeling this conversation was going to get very personal and having Kouga in the room didn't help much.

                "Why?" Rin said with her mouth full. "It's good. Sesshomaru-sama do you want some?" To encourage her lord she picked up a large amount in her chopsticks. I watched the youkai's brows pull together and knew he would refuse. "Please?" Rin tried again, this time with a note of pleading in her voice. I had to give the girl credit- Sesshomaru was her lord and master but damn if she couldn't manipulate him too. Her eyes shone with unshed tears and her bottom lip was thrust out, both sure signs she was about to cry. 

                Sesshomaru blinked, his eye brows raising high before he finally sighed in defeat. "I will sample a little." He stressed '_a little' and Rin obediently lessened the amount held between her chopsticks. The youkai didn't scoot over to us but rather leaned to his side with his arms crossed over his chest. The concentration was evident on Rin's face as she lifted the small mouthful from the cup and into Sesshomaru's mouth. He waited patiently and politely took the bite without spitting it out. The youkai ate it and then sat back as if nothing had happened. _

                When he didn't say anything, Rin began to fidget. "Was it good, Sesshomaru-sama?" 

                "It was not inedible." He replied and resumed watching Inu Yasha warily. Now, personally, I thought that was a pretty crummy thing to say but Rin looked as if she'd been given a new toy. She smiled wide enough to split her face and began eating the ramen with new fervor. I watched her as she ate happily and then finally shrugged- who was I to say what was a crappy compliment or not?

                I ate bits and pieces but Rin was the one who polished off the cup. In the end I stopped holding it and simply let her take it- for some reason the food wasn't making me feel better. I poked the body below me and again an eye opened to regard me. "Okay, are you alright and which one are you?" When in doubt, be blunt. Both eyes opened and the hanyou smiled up at me. I didn't look but I knew everyone was watching me and the intensity of their staring made my skin itch. 

                A claw was held up and the hanyou moved his hand slowly. I didn't move but I heard a warning growl from Kouga and I knew Sesshomaru was bristling with alertness. It was comforting to know that they were ready to jump in and help me if need be but I knew Inu Yasha wouldn't hurt me, knew it like I knew the back of my hand. The hanyou poked me gently with that claw in the center of my chest, curling the pointy end of the digit away and then resting the knuckle against my bare skin. We kept eye contact the entire time. 

                Well now I knew who was in charge- though the tail should have tipped me off- and that was reassuring in a way; it was always nice to know who I was dealing with. "Are you alright?" I asked again as both eyes closed and he retracted his hand. 

                Inu Yasha swallowed and licked his lips before answering. "We are… readjusting to our body. It is slightly tiring."

                "We?" Sesshomaru asked and the question was repeated by everyone. 

                "Inu Yasha's demon side is in control." I said softly, my eyes roving over his black hair and white ears. I ran a hand through the soft, luxurious fur of his tail, teasing the length of spine in the middle. Imagine the softest material known to man and you would have an inkling of how wonderful his fur felt against my skin.   

Inu Yasha nodded, opening his eyes as he looked at the ceiling. "I am in control of us and my other half is not…pleased with the arrangement. We are also having difficulties with Tetsusaiga."

                "Tetsusaiga?" Taomaru asked, his eye brow raised high and his eye lavender bronze.

                "Where is the Fang?" Sesshomaru demanded. I wasn't sure if he was wanted to try and take possession of it again or if he was just making sure that Inu Yasha hadn't lost it. 

                Inu Yasha's brows raised and at last he looked at his brother thoughtfully, as if the hanyou was following my train of thought. "Tetsusaiga is inside us again, back where it was originally but not acting as it had." The hanyou's eyes closed again and looked back up at the ceiling. "The Fang is no longer my seal." 

                "Your seal?" I asked, starting to put things together but wanting to be sure I was on the right path. Inu Yasha nodded, swallowing again. Concerned, I asked if he was alright again.

                "It is hard to concentrate with you so close." His eyes opened wide, locking with mine and he smiled at me, a tame variation of the sexy one he used only with me. He gripped my robe, pulling me gently but unstoppably forward and down. He wrapped his arms around me while he whispered in my ear. "You scent is enticing. It is later, you know." It took me a moment of remembering what he meant and when I finally did I blushed bright red. 

_~He tried for a kiss again, leaning forward and brushing his lips to mine. I moved my hands to his chest and held him away. "No, Inu-chan," I said firmly, shaking my head. "No, not now."_

_"Later?" He asked so plaintively it made my heart hurt- and flutter. He backed off, sitting back on his knees and looking up at me. His ears had drooped and I scratched behind them without thinking. I hugged him, and he hugged me back. I felt empty inside, the warmth from the kissing ebbing away. "Later, when everything is back to normal." He nuzzled the exposed skin near my collar bone.~                _

I sensed movement on the bed but couldn't see with my body pressed against Inu Yasha. I swallowed thickly as he buried his nose in my hair. "Things aren't back to normal yet." I said, my voice wavering while my heart rate sped up. 

"This is as normal as it gets." He purred and started kissing my neck. I pushed upward, hoping to get out of range and to get off him. It was just too strange laying on him, too intimate with a crowd. I needed to get off of him anyway because straddling him was becoming uncomfortable if you know what I mean- if you don't, then you're too young to know anyway. 

The hanyou found the love bite he had given me and took the skin between his sharp teeth. He didn't break the skin, just held it as he ran his tongue over it again and again. I froze, not wanting to provoke him, unsure of what he would do. I knew Inu Yasha wouldn't hurt me- even like this, I knew deep down that he wouldn't- but I didn't want anymore cuts. _You smell so good, Kagome, his voice whispered in my head, feeling like a warm breath of air on sensitive skin. It was an odd description but more accurate than anything else. My skin prickled and the hair rose on my arms. _

_You taste so__ good. His tail snaked over me; wrapping around my body and pulling me back down against him. In one liquid movement, he rolled over and suddenly__ I was the one under him. I gasped in surprise and he lay full out on top of me; he didn't do anything except that, surprising me greatly. He nuzzled my neck and flexed his hands against my back, sighing contentedly as he got comfortable. "Tetsusaiga is no longer my seal." He said again and I felt his eyelashes brush my skin as he closed his eyes. _

The rapid switch in conversation took my by surprise and for a moment my mind went blank. "Huh?"

"Tetsusaiga was my seal, designed to specifically keep me dormant inside Inu Yasha. Now that the dominance has shifted, the sword no longer seals me." God this duality was getting unnerving. So the sword was supposed to keep Inu Yasha's demon side sealed but I guess when the Tetsusaiga broke during a long ago battle, it could no longer do that. The sword was meant to protect Inu Yasha from himself and enemies but even when it was restored, the sword could no longer hold back the hanyou's demon side. That must be why Inu Yasha had been shifting so much; once out, his demon blood would not go back quietly-couldn't be restrained completely- and whenever a threat popped up, that side of him took over. But...

"Wait; Inu Yasha has been shifting back and forth a lot lately. More so than any other time against greater odds. Why is that?"

He sighed, cuddling me close. "Since I was awakened completely by you in the dream mesh, since I marked you and I made love to you, I will not go back into nothingness. I will not be sealed by a mere sword." As he spoke, he sounded more and more adamant about it and alarm stirred inside me. Inu Yasha seemed to sense it and ran his hands up and down my arms to sooth me.  It worked and my eyelids fluttered. I blinked but couldn't keep them open. When I pried them open again, Inu Yasha had sat up and was holding me in his lap. From this position I could see everyone as they watched and I felt myself blush, hiding it by cuddling against the hanyou better.

"Oi, dog turd," growled Kouga, irritated at the way the couple were getting so damn cuddle. "Where did the tail and stripes come from?" The wolf prince was pretty damn angry- his power breathed through the room and made my skin prickle.

Inu Yasha frowned slightly as he looked up from me to look coolly back at Kouga. His tail wrapped around me, insulating me from Kouga's anger. "Where do you think wimpy wolf?" The hanyou's voice had a nasty bite to it and it made Kouga look at him in surprise. Inu Yasha ran a hand through his tail lightly and tapped his stripes, as if making sure they were really there. "I rather like having them back actually.  It's very nice to be normal." 

Kouga looked back extremely confused.  He looked at the little Inu-chan and then at the older hanyou.  They did look the same, the only difference being the color.  "But you don't look like you did, your tail is black and so is your hair?  What happened to the kid you to make you how you were?"  

Inu Yasha just looked at Kouga with a very level gaze, unspoken volumes hanging in the air. 

  "The youkai half is dominant at the moment, that's what happened," I stated sleepily. I yawned tiredly and tried to make myself comfortable in the hanyou's arms. I pillowed my head with Inu Yasha's tail, the soft furry length also keeping my exposed skin warm. 

Inu Yasha looked at his brother and asked, "Sesshou, where can Kago-chan to bed down for a long nap?  She is beyond being exhausted and needs to rest for as long as possible.  I don't want to have her woken up for anything short of a full fledged assault from the Dark Army." He looked down at me, and I frowned up at him. I tried to protest but my mouth wouldn't open. Another approach then. 

_I'm fine, now my mouth worked and I yawned into Inu's shoulder. __Just give me a few minutes._

_No. Inu Yasha shook his head at me, his jaw set in determined lines. __You are going to sleep. As he stared down at me I noticed something, something so subtle I normal would have missed it. Inu Yasha's golden eyes weren't so gold anymore. If I hadn't been looking right up into them, I would have missed the blue flecks tinting the orbs. _

I could sense Sesshomaru's confusion as to what was exactly going on with his brother, but he agreed with Inu Yasha's insistence that I rest. Damn, I wasn't getting out of this one but I was so comfortable that maybe sleeping would be a good idea. I had eaten, barely, but it was enough that I felt better, less weak. I heard Sesshomaru speaking, my eyes drifting shut of their own accord. _Just for a few minutes. I murmured mentally and felt myself fall asleep._

Notes: …Well damn. Don't that just turn the tables a little? I made this one a little longer- had to to let everything make some sort of sense- so that should make some of you happy. Inu Yasha with dark hair but still with his demon powers- he and Sesshou will no longer be a matched set! 

               So, is this idea a little two far out there or has anyone else had any similar ideas? The continuation of the hanyou discussion and what happened between the two brothers will be dealt with in the next chapter so anyone who's interested, come on back for some more next week.  On a brief note, Nat will you please email me? Telos, I got my phone fixed- you up for some chatting? ::grins::


	20. Family Secrets

Legal: Yadda yadda yadda. If you don't know by now, your starting in the wrong place.

Chapter 19:  Family Secrets

"Here." Sesshomaru said simply. "My den is the safest place for her to sleep. No one would bother her here- they wouldn't dare."  The last rolled out as a growl, full of malice and foreboding to anyone who would disturb her.  The youkai moved and pulled up the comforters enough so that Inu Yasha could slide the sleeping girl under the soft cloth. 

"Kagome?" Sango asked quietly, watching her friend's limp form. She, the monk and kitsune had all been called back by Momiji. The ghost had said that there was an important discussion taking place and had insisted that they all hurry back. Trusting that the ghost knew what she was doing, they had dutifully wandered back to Sesshomaru's room in time to trail after the surprised canine demons.

"Its okay, Sango." Inu Yasha whispered as Sesshomaru tucked Kagome in. "She's just tired out. She'll be alright."

 "I think we should continue this in my office."  Sesshomaru's voice was low as he finished smoothing the covers. Inu Yasha nodded and kissed his mate. Taomaru watched all of this with a sort of confused understanding.  He didn't understand what was going on with Inu Yasha, but it was clear that where Kagome's health was concerned the brothers thought as one. The elder shook his head. The three-way bond was going to be making all kinds of difficulties and none would be worse than the issue of Kagome's fertility. Why did she have to go into heat now of all times? 

The wolf dog sighed heavily, more to himself than anything else as he slid off the bed. "We should bring the children with us." Sesshomaru frowned at Taomaru and Inu Yasha nodded, agreeing with his uncle. 

"These kids," Inu Yasha paused as he tried to express his thoughts. "These two are important though I don't know why. It's also important that neither Kagome nor I should touch our younger self." He tapped his lip with a finger and finally picked up Kago-chan. He cradled the child against him, smiling when the blue eyes opened briefly to see who he was. Kago-chan reached up and touched his stripes, Inu Yasha moving his head low enough for her to do so.

"Inu-chan," Kago-chan sighed as she cuddled back against him. "You got so big and I'm still small." Inu Yasha nuzzled her until she giggled in her sleep, then hanyou finishing with a light kiss on her forehead.

"She knows you," Sesshomaru said, taking the little Inu Yasha from his uncle and holding the child protectively. The youkai moved close enough that he could peer down at the sleeping girl in his brother's arms. "Even though you're coloring is different and you are older, this Kagome knew you." 

Inu Yasha shrugged at his brother and began leading everyone down the hall. "Kagome and I would know each other no matter what form we took in any time." He slowed his steps so Sesshomaru could take the lead, the hanyou not knowing where the office was exactly.

It was a surprisingly small room filled with books and scrolls, well used tables and chairs. A pile of pillows was piled high in one corner, a stack of well handled books nearby. Candles in decorative fixtures dotted the walls, providing ample light for all to see. The room looked homey somehow and well used b its owner; it was hard to wrap one's mind around that said owner was a ruthless killer when he wished to be. Shippo had to pinch himself in the doorway as he looked about and then at Sesshomaru, Miroku and Sango doing pretty much the same. Even after that, they still couldn't accept it. _This was Sesshomaru's study? __This cozy little room? Shouldn't Sesshomaru's study be filled with 'souvenirs' from his conquests and battles? Or maybe swords or other assorted weapons? Shouldn't it be spooky and not so… inviting?_

 Inu Yasha startled everyone by dimming the lights a bit, moving about the room and blowing out every other flame.  "Sorry, but it is making the headache worse." He shrugged apologetically and then moved on as the others got comfortable. "Now what did you want?"

Kouga asked the question that had been bugging everyone since Kagome last spoke. "What did Kagome mean about your youkai side being dominant?"

Taomaru studied his nephew as the hanyou sighed and tried to come up with an answer that would make sense to everyone.  "About the best way I can think to describe it," Inu Yasha began. "Would be to say that it is akin to what Kagome knows as multiple personality disorder.  It isn't exactly right, but it is close.  Most hanyou have some trouble with their dual natures. The degree to which the trouble exists is dependant on the person. As a child, I had almost none."

At this Sesshomaru nodded and understanding finally clicked into place. "The Tetsusaiga suppressed your youkai blood when it was conjured into your left eye that was when you lost your tail and stripes. You are saying that it also upset the balance between the two natures in your mind, correct?" Unconsciously, the youkai began petting Inu-chan again.

At this Inu Yasha nodded and continued Sesshomaru's line of thought. "I think it was supposed to make me less dangerous to the people around me, but it backfired. I'm guessing that father thought that, since I had not had a problem before, I never would have a problem.  He forgot the need for balance at my cost."

Taomaru's eye widened slightly, the orb paling to a more orange hue. "You mean to say that, with your youkai blood suppressed, you were more dangerous to those around you rather than less... " Taomaru snorted. _It would be like Momaru to leap before he looked. He thought he was heading off a potential problem and instead created another. The wolf dog growled and silently cursed his brother- the first time in hundreds of years. He began to pace, ruffling the pages of books and piled scrolls as he passed. His anger brushed though the room like a physical warm wind, swirling dust motes and making dust bunnies dance. _

 It was Inu Yasha who calmed his uncle. The hanyou's power creeped out, a cool blanket to sooth those around him- most of all Taomaru.

 "Yes, that would be the case.  One side without the other eventually darkens and becomes completely unstable.  In a complete split, neither side is stable and both are equally dangerous." The hanyou paused a moment and then continued, emphasizing his words with an authority he had not previously possessed. "A human's imagination and proclivity for destruction combined with a demon's power and unrivaled capacity for violence.  It is not a pleasant scenario.  Very little is known about how or why it occurs.  There are so few hanyou it is almost impossible to study and get an objective view."  Inu Yasha brooded aloud while he settled into his seat, holding the little girl close. "Father was aware of those facts about me and other hanyou.  He had a number of people study me before Mother died.  It took me a bit to get what was going on out of one of them.  It's a pity my human side can't seem to remember any of this."

Inu Yasha's companions were flat out disturbed by this remark.  They all seemed to be looking at each other to make sure they heard him correctly.  Miroku seemed to be elected to be the brave one and ask the question after a pause.  "You mean you don't have the same memories as your other side?" 

"No, they seem to diverge after the sword was placed in my eye.  I think he is aware of the stuff before that time, but it is foggy and hard for him to get a good view of. I have the same problem with a lot of the time when I was fully sealed. I can see what we did, when we did it, and have most of the emotional and sensory stuff, but it is almost like I am looking at it through one of those window panes in Kagome's home."                

Shippo finally could not hold it in any more and asked the question that had been bothering him about the way the new version of the hanyou was talking, "How come you seem smarter than the one we're used to?"

"We are equally intelligent." Inu Yasha said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "The other half has found it very useful to make people underestimate his intelligence. He does it without thinking, plus, he has forgotten most of the court etiquette and speech crap that we learned as a child. He is very good at finding his opponents strengths and weaknesses using this ploy.  He can analyze a battle strategy in no time flat.  What he can't do is speak his mind very well. Add to this that humans and their relative emotional states are more complex than those of demons, and you have why he comes off the way he does."   At this point, the hanyou slumped back into his chair and closed his eyes.  He rubbed his temple tiredly in a slow circular motion.  "If you have any more questions, make them quick, Kagome isn't the only one who is worn out."

After answering as many questions as he could for as long as he was able, Inu Yasha passed out in his seat, unable to stay awake any longer. 

"Inu Yasha?" Sango asked quietly. She shrugged as the hanyou held Kago-chan more securely. The exterminator tried once more but he failed to respond each time, snoring softly. 

Miroku looked from one brother to the other. "There is one thing that truly bothers me." The monk said, his eyes and face hard as he watched Sesshomaru. The youkai arched a brow but did nothing else in response to the monk's tone. 

"Sesshomaru," Miroku began. "What caused the rift between you and Inu Yasha? Both of you are getting along fine now so the reason for your rivalry could not have been that serious." Shippo looked at the pale youkai and jumped to the ground.

The kitsune peered up at Sesshomaru and then hopped up onto Taomaru's shoulder. The child continued his careful watching of the demon lord until he finally sat back, arms crossed over his chest. "You were protecting him, weren't you." The fox child said flatly, startling everyone in the room. . "What in all the heavens could you have been protecting him from?"

Sesshomaru snarled at Shippo, the latter squeaking and diving behind Taomaru for cover. "Me," Sesshomaru sneered. "Protect him?" The youkai looked incredulous and then, as everyone watched, any emotion drained from his face. By the time he finished speaking, Sesshomaru looked as cold and as emotionless as only he could ever be. 

"Inu Yasha is my half brother. He is not my responsibility and we have no brotherly bonds whatsoever. I barely tolerate humans and the likes of him. His appearance may be altered and he may be closer to a youkai, but Inu Yasha will never be a youkai- never be able to be useful to me other than to fight for these lands." A brief flash of emotion leaked into Sesshomaru's face: pure contempt. "Why else do you think I found him when I did? I did not call him to aid me; I called him so I could use him as a weapon as I will use Kagome as a weapon. When the battle is won and the enemy destroyed, I will rid myself of any of you who are still present!" 

Sesshomaru's voice dropped to a growl, sounding not exactly like his dog clan brethren, but more like a tiger. A tiger who has seen its prey and is about to pounce. His power leaked out, a slight amber glow surrounding him, and oozed through the room like a biting wind through an icy window. He crossed through the room, passing by Miroku and Sango when they jumped out of the way and picked Inu Yasha up. The hanyou hung limply over Sesshomaru's shoulder as the youkai thrust Inu-chan and Kago-chan at the others. Sesshomaru stalked out of the room slamming the door behind him loudly.

"Both share that trait." Miroku said in a subdued voice.

Kouga nodded. "Both are loud mouthed hot heads."

"This coming from you." Taomaru snorted as he held both children. "Still," the wolf dog murmured. "It raises some interesting questions."

Sesshomaru paced down the hall back to his den. He was irritated, annoyed, and could do nothing about it except try to calm down. He pushed through the doors to his chambers, closing them firmly behind him and crossed the stone floor to the bed. With surprising tenderness, the youkai lifted Inu Yasha off him and laid the hanyou out on the bed beside Kagome. Both teens immediately moved closer to one another, as if sensing that the other was only inches away.

The Demon Lord sighed, looking sadly down at his younger brother. _If only you knew. Sesshomaru thought. __If only you knew the trouble you were spared. As the memories began to bubble up inside him, Sesshomaru laid down enough to curl around Kagome. He hugged the sleeping girl close, feeling one of her hands find his and cover it with hers. For one of the few moments inn his life, Sesshomaru wanted some comfort and, above all else, he rightly thought he deserved it._

                It had not escaped Sesshomaru that there was something odd about his mother's death. Youkai women were strong fighters and could not be killed by illness. Why then had Lady Kitori died? The woman had died during peace time, not in battle. She had been in perfect health until her body was found, cold and very dead. Her death had been sudden and people were reluctant to talk about it- especially after seeing how Momaru was treating his own son. 

                The demon prince would have been willing to chalk it up to a fluke and make peace with it, but then Lady Yui also died. Again, the woman had been in perfect health, had been full of life and wonderful right up until a young Inu Yasha had found her cold body. It was around this time that Sesshomaru first began to suspect something was amiss in the castle, that there was a threat from within. It was from that very suspicion that the need to protect his younger brother had hit home for Sesshomaru. 

                As if this new problem wasn't enough, Lord Momaru had begun drinking again. The elder youkai had retreated into his room again to mourn, though this time he went with land dispute forms, treasury records, new castle defenses, etc. And also a lot of alcohol, his favorite companion after women. Though Sesshomaru took the former as a good sign and a definite improvement over the liquor, the pale youkai was not foolish enough to think that he was too old for Momaru to prey on while the Demon Lord was in a drunken fantasy.  It was during one of Momaru's intoxicated moments that Sesshomaru decided to get Inu Yasha the hell out of the castle. 

                The hanyou child had been recovering from his mother's death faster than Sesshomaru had anticipated though the child still had the habit of sneaking into Sesshomaru's den at night. The pale youkai didn't mind it, though he probably should have. Everyone in the castle snubbed Inu Yasha now that Lady Yui was gone and Lord Momaru seemed to be ignoring the child. Only Sesshomaru appeared to be the one paying attention to or caring for his little brother at all. 

                During one of Inu Yasha's nightly excursions to Sesshomaru's room, the little boy had run into Momaru wandering the hall. Sesshomaru had been up late that evening and on a whim, opened his door to check for his brother. After silently opening the door, he had spotted the pair near the passage that led to Momaru's wing of rooms. 

                "Inu Yasha," Momaru had slurred while his youngest son grimaced at the smell of his father. "What are you doing exploring this late?" 

                The hanyou, now a little taller and tailless, had hidden behind the pillow he carried. His white hair was ruffled by his ears, the furry triangles tracking the noises echoing in the vast hallway. "Nothing." His voice was hesitant and unsure- Inu Yasha hadn't really figured out how to deal with his drunken father yet. "Going to see Sesshou."  

                "Well," Momaru said, waving an arm expansively. "I'm sure that Sesshou is busy. I'll take you back to your room."

                Standing in his doorway, Sesshomaru felt a stir of alarm run through him. He began walking down the hall, as silent as a shadow, to stop the unfolding events and protect his little brother. 

                Momaru stopped, gazing down at his youngest son with a thoughtful expression. He reached out and caressed his son's cheek. Inu Yasha fidgeted and clutched his pillow tighter, fighting the instinct to growl at the suddenly threatening presence of his father. 

                "You know you look more and more like your mother everyday Inu Yasha." Momaru said at last and began to herd the hanyou back the way he had come. The dog demon simply started walking, barring any path of escape for Inu Yasha and forcing the child to back up repeatedly. "Why don't you and I go spend some time together? I know I've been neglecting you." 

                To this Inu Yasha was unsure. On one hand he wanted to spend time with father (something he hadn't done in a very long time). On the other hand, there was something in Momaru's voice, a look in his father's eye that made his instincts want to take over. Something that screamed _danger…._

                "Inu Yasha!" Sesshomaru said, catching up to his brother and sire. The prince bowed politely to Momaru when the elder youkai looked at him in surprise. "Ah, Father. I'm glad you were the reason he has not appeared- I was beginning to worry over his welfare." Sesshomaru picked up Inu Yasha as soon as the hanyou was within reach, holding the child close to his chest and wrapping his tail around him. Though Sesshomaru remained polite and respectful to his sire, the display could not be misinterpreted: Sesshomaru was protecting his baby brother, would protect him even from their father. 

                "Yes," Momaru said, blinking his narrowed eyes. "He said you two had business together. How odd considering the late hour." Suspicion and a thin thread of anger entered the Demon Lord's voice as he watched Sesshomaru run a hand through Inu Yasha's pale hair. 

                "Indeed Sire." Sesshomaru bowed, still holding Inu Yasha against his chest. "Many disputes have arisen and I have had to deal with them during the day. Night is the only time Inu Yasha and I get to talk with each other. We are brothers, after all." Sesshomaru straightened and looked his father right in the eye. "Brothers should always spare time for each other just as they should help each other in times of need."

                Momaru tilted his head backward, making him appear arrogant and haughty. "That is true son, but fathers and sons should also spend a spare moment with each other to stay in touch."

                Sesshomaru nodded and began moving slowly to one side of his father to get access to the hallway. "Wise words, my sire. Quality time is important, but only when both parties are fit for it." Sesshomaru inclined his head at his father, his amber eyes narrowed. "Inu Yasha is but a pup. He should not be exposed to alcohol or the behavior it elicits. Besides," Sesshomaru began walking backwards down the hall toward his den and away from his intoxicated brooding father. "Did you not say yourself that the hour is late? All pups should be curled up in bed and Inu Yasha is a child." The pale youkai paused, unsure of how his drunken father would react to such logic.

                Momaru watched his sons, nodded, and continued his walk up the hallway, back toward his own chambers. Sesshomaru waited until his sire was out of sight and then hurried down the hall to his own den. Inside the room, Sesshomaru placed Inu Yasha on the bed and shed his own clothing, pulling on a sleeping robe in their place. Inu Yasha watched his brother leap up onto the bed, curling against his big brother when Sesshomaru had slid under the covers. 

                "Sesshou," the hanyou asked quietly. "What was wrong with Father?"

                "Our father is dead, Inu-chan." Sesshomaru replied, voice equally soft. "He was replaced with a stranger who is only our sire." The pale youkai hugged his younger brother close, curling his tail around the small body.

                "Oh," the hanyou responded, not fully understanding his brother's cryptic statement. "Is Father with my mother?" Inu Yasha rose up, moving until he could look down onto his elder brother's face.

                "I do not know." Sesshomaru sighed as he looked up into Inu Yasha's golden orbs. "I hope that that man is with both our mothers and that all are happy." Inu Yasha nodded after a while, not fully satisfied with the answer, but not wholly unsatisfied with it either. 

                "Inu Yasha," Sesshomaru said suddenly and the hanyou could sense that his brother had come to a difficult decision. "Inu-chan, you have to leave."

                The hanyou's jaw dropped and he let out a small sound of surprise and abandonment before speaking. "Sesshou no! No!" He started to cry. "Don't send me away! Don't you love me anymore?"

                Strong arms grabbed the hanyou and pinned him against a warm chest. A soft tail and satiny strands added to the hug as Sesshomaru turned on his side and  wrapped his entire body around his sobbing brother. "You have to go. It's not safe here, little one. You have to leave the castle." Sesshomaru hugged Inu Yasha tight enough that the hanyou couldn't move and could barely breathe. "Your father is dead. Your family ties are gone. You and I are enemies now, not brothers. We will fight as such and live as such." 

Inu Yasha began to struggle and Sesshomaru removed one hand enough to line it up for a strike. The little hanyou kept fighting, kept pleading not to be sent away. The words were garbled and ran together to make no sense; even though, Sesshomaru still got the jist of them. When Sesshomaru finally struck, it felt as if his hand was not his own- as if a stranger had temporarily taken over because Sesshomaru couldn't hurt his brother cold turkey. 

 Sesshomaru struck the back of Inu Yasha's neck swiftly because drawing it out would only make both of them suffer. The hanyou stopped fighting immediately and went limp, lying against his brother as only the unconscious could. The pale youkai hugged his now unconscious brother close and let poison flow through his free hand; using a small amount would do. With a heavy heart, Sesshomaru held his limp brother and flexed his free hand. Watching the dark stripes crawl up his arm, Sesshomaru felt as if a dark destiny were crystallizing before his eyes. If that was his fate, then so be it. Sesshomaru would mourn the loss of such a close relationship with his brother, but if it would keep Inu Yasha alive then so be it. Sesshomaru let a small amount of poison fill his claws. The pale youkai hugged Inu Yasha's body tighter and kissed the pale head. _For the best, he thought._

He pricked Inu Yasha gently, letting the small dose of toxic fluid do its job and keep the hanyou asleep. The pale youkai turned on his side and curled around the slightly colder hanyou tightly, enjoying the last few hours of their brotherly relationship. When next they met they would be enemies; Sesshomaru was going to make sure of that. He kissed the top of Inu Yasha's head again, taking a small measure of comfort from the drugged sleeper. 

The next afternoon, Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha went out for a walk. Well, that's a bit inaccurate; Sesshomaru walked and simply carried the recovering hanyou out into the surrounding area of the castle proper. The youkai kept walking, ignoring his brother's slow questions as to what was going on. When they were miles from home and Inu Yasha was more alert, Sesshomaru stopped and set him on the ground. Sesshomaru had taken a winding path, moving through territory that Inu Yasha had never been in. Flowers and fragrant trees surrounding the two made it impossible to tell where the castle was by scent. 

Inu Yasha looked up at his brother and frowned. Sesshomaru looked back at the belligerent gaze with cold, merciless eyes. The pale youkai looked down at the pale figure before him, so unlike the dark haired and tailed child he had constantly been pestered by. The other traits had disappeared a week or so ago after a meeting between Momaru and the hanyou. Inu Yasha had been confused and sleepy for a day or two afterward, his more youkai traits disappearing within that time frame. Inu Yasha had been clingy afterward; constantly holding on to Sesshomaru as if the youkai was a lifeline- Momaru had again retreated to his room with his beloved alcohol. Sesshomaru looked down at his little brother and sighed internally, hardly recognizing his brother.

"Run." Sesshomaru said, his voice as empty as a winter sky. "You are not my brother, no relation to me at all. You are a mongrel and should never have been born."

Inu Yasha's face drained of all color, tears gathering in his golden eyes. He stood his ground though, not backing down even when Sesshomaru growled threateningly. 

"Run!" Sesshomaru roared, his voice deepening as his eyes bled red. The stripes on his face stood out as his face elongated. The dog demon began to shift into his giant form and Inu Yasha became afraid. "Run!" Sesshomaru screamed as he took his new form. Inu Yasha obeyed, bolting through the underbrush as fast as he could go. Behind him, Sesshomaru howled loudly- the howl used when on a hunt; the howl of bloodlust. Inu Yasha ran faster in sheer terror while Sesshomaru snapped at his heels. 

Sesshou had never really admitted how much it had hurt him to drive his baby brother away. Not to anyone, not even to himself. It was possible of course that he would never have known how much it had hurt if recent events had never come to pass. The thought made the pale youkai pause and follow that thought. Though it was pointless to mull over the 'what ifs' of reality, Sesshou found himself doing it now. If Kagome had never met his brother, if court subterfuge had never touched the Dog Clan, if Momiji had never become the Guardian of the Western Lands… 

Sesshou blinked. Even though Momiji had been the first Guardian, the pale youkai thought of Taomaru. In fact, the wolf dog was now synonymous with the position and was who Sesshou thought of first when on the subject. Well, Taomaru and Kagome. The miko was doing a hell of a job playing Guardian, more so than Tao had been so far. It was odd; the more Kagome exercised more Guardianish powers, the more normal Tao seemed to become... Almost as if they were switching roles. 

"Sesshomaru?" Taomaru's voice jolted the pale youkai out of his thoughts. Sesshomaru sat up, reluctantly leaving the warmth of Kagome's sleeping form. He must have looked as awful as he felt because Taomaru paused in his walk to the bed, looking at his nephew in concern.

"What?" Sesshomaru said grumpily. 

"Gods, you look beat." Taomaru said bluntly. "Go back to sleep."

Sesshomaru frowned and climbed to his feet. "Did you have a purpose for bothering me?" The pale youkai pulled the mussed blankets higher over Kagome and Inu Yasha and crossed the room to his uncle. Sesshomaru tucked stray locks behind his ears and scowled at the wolf dog. 

"You were protecting Inu Yasha when you sent him away." Taomaru said, positive that this was the case. His surety was confirmed when Sesshomaru's scowl deepened- the pale youkai did _not want to talk about this. _

"Away, vampire." Sesshomaru hissed and walked out the door. Taomaru followed him out and the pale youkai shut the door. Sesshomaru looked at the floor while Taomaru walked nearly to the opposite wall, putting ample space between them both.

"Vampire?" Taomaru arched a quizzical brow at this. "Why am I a vampire?" The wolf dog's tail twitched and his bronze eye began to change to orange with the beginnings of alarm. Something was amiss with Sesshomaru, something that apparently just occurred- or an idea that had just reached boiling point. 

"There is something between you and Kagome." Sesshomaru stated, looking up but looking away from his uncle. Taomaru again had the sense that there was something off with his nephew, something that wasn't allowing the young dog demon to think straight. The wolf dog tried a more mental avenue, prodding lightly at Sesshomaru's mind through the bond Kagome shared with the two of them. It wasn't that Sesshomaru was being irrational, it was more… Taomaru continued to attempt an explanation as his nephew lurched forward. 

Full blown alarm sang though the wolf dog. "Sesshomaru stop." Taomaru said, moving forward and looking directly into Sesshomaru's face.  The instinct to pick Sesshomaru up and tuck him into bed washed over the elder youkai and he fought it off with difficulty- Taomaru didn't even think he'd be able to get close to Sesshomaru as he watched the pale youkai in concern.

The wolf dog had every right to be concerned- Sesshomaru looked ill. Though the pale youkai didn't seem to be paying it any heed, his face was flushed as sweat beaded on his skin and matted his hair flat to his head. The pale youkai's muscles-what could be seen- were corded so tightly that Taomaru was surprised his nephew could even move. Simply standing there seemed to be so taxing that Taomaru couldn't imagine how the pale youkai could walk at all. Sesshomaru moved forward unsteadily, walking forward toward Taomaru.

And that brought up another point: while Taomaru was having no problem walking within the hall, Sesshomaru looked as if he were moving against a solid wall- or fighting against a barrier holding him back. Heat rolled off Sesshomaru's skin, making Taomaru's fur curl. In short, Taomaru's nephew looked ill but determined to make it away from his den and the couple inside it.

                "Taomaru," Sesshomaru growled, his voice sounding like the youkai had been chewing on crushed glass. "What bond lies between you and Kagome? What bond allows you to use her energy to live?" 

                Taomaru's jaw dropped, his eye bright yellow-orange in alarm and confusion. "What? I don't know-" Sesshomaru snarled at his uncle, the air crackling around him.

"The bond between you and Kagome is not a mating bond!" He roared and slowed in his stride, swaying on his feet. "Your bond with her is different! Older somehow, more ingrained." Sesshomaru stopped and glared at his uncle, picking Taomaru up by his kimono. Sesshomaru shook his uncle, tossing aside any deference toward the elder youkai. Sesshomaru shook Taomaru roughly as he held him high in the air, snarling his conclusions into the dark youkai's face.  

"You can draw on her power- use it to make yourself mobile. Kagome's power is keeping you alive, allowing you abilities that you have never shown before. Her power is affecting the entire castle, giving Momiji more power to interact with the environment. You can link with Kagome and, through her, link with both Inu Yasha and I. While the three of us can link with each other, you can link with her and only her! In a way, Kagome is slowly replacing you as guardian and if that happens, she will replace you in death!" 

Sesshomaru threw Taomaru from him, watching the other youkai slam into the wall. "Your bond is different," Sesshomaru stated again, his eyes refusing to focus on his surroundings. "And if you do not begin explaining it, I will kill you where you stand." The threat would have had more impact if the Demon Lord didn't look like he himself was at death's door.

Taomaru stood, moving slowly and quietly, watching his disoriented nephew trying to find him with dull senses. The pale youkai's eyes were unfocused, slightly cloudy, a film of sweat covering him. The elder youkai was unharmed, any bruises already healing, and was extremely concerned about his nephew; Sesshomaru wasn't healthy at the moment and there was no outside force triggering his sudden distress. As Taomaru watched, Sesshomaru looked at him and took an unsteady step forward. Sesshomaru managed another before his eyes shut and he keeled to one side. Taomaru caught him before the pale youkai could hit the floor, picking up the unconscious youngster and carrying him across the hallway with no problems. 

Notes: Okay, there was no real place to break this cleanly so I'm sorry if the end of this chapter is a bit abrupt. When I write, I don't write a story in chapter form so one scene will more often than not flow right into another scene which in turn will flow into something else. I hope the chapter was long enough to satisfy everyone and that the end does give everyone a little food for thought, just as the content of this chapter solved another piece of the puzzle of the plot of this mess. 

::laughs:: There's still more coming so no one freak out yet- that'll come later when this Part is over and everyone has to wait until I'm done editing Part 4. Speaking of which, I'm still working on the ending- a tougher job than you may think considering the precedent I've set. ::Pulls at hair:: ARRRG! Is there any other author out there who's good with battle scenes?!  Hey Telos… you still around? 


	21. Anyone got some time on their hands?

_"We're looking for a few good men…"_

-US Army

                As of now I am putting out an open invitation to any and all persons with editorial skills. Now this may seem that this is coming out of left field but I will be unable to finish this mess of a story until I can get some professional (or psudoprofesional) aid. This is not to say that Telos and I have had a falling out- rather we have lost touch and though I have been trying to contact her, she seems to busy to look over my shoulder all the time. That is perfectly okay; she has been a wonderful editor and I wish her the best of luck with her life and family and to thank her for all the help she gave me. Divided We Fall would never have turned out as well as it did if she hadn't helped me out.

                It's going to be tough to find a person to match her- SO I am asking for the voluntary services of two people. I will go into the details of the two positions in a minute. First I want to give you an idea of what's required. 

                - Payment: There is no monetary reimbursement for your services! You do this of your own free will. The only payment you would receive would be my undying gratitude and your name posted as editor in the story. Other than the knowledge that you participated in a (debatably) great story to make it as best as possible, that's about it. Sorry- I'm a poor college student and have no money. 

                -Personality: Personally speaking, I am a pessimistic person and can get frustrated easily. I am an Aries and am bull headed at times, not to mention bull dozing. (Damn- I think I was born in the wrong month. Sounds like I should be a Taurus!) I am demanding (rarely but it does happen) and easily irritable. Most of my personality is reflected by Kagome in the story so that gives you a more readily available example of the person you are dealing with. 

                I'm looking for someone to counteract all that (not to discourage people). I always like to know what I'm getting into before I sign on a project so I try and show all sides to newcomers. (I don't think it's fair otherwise.) Anyway, I am looking for someone who will look over my shoulder and point out that I've done something wrong. I WILL NOT ACCEPT YES MEN. If there's one thing that gets me mad, it's people who always agree with someone. I find it humiliating and down right irritating- you can never get an idea out of them and that's what I'm looking for. I need creative people but people who will also put a hand up and say, "You can't do that because…." Or "You've written yourself into a corner that way. Try it this way." The latter is what usually happens and I have a hell of a time writing myself out of my self created trap.

                - Language: Not to be nasty but I am looking for two English speakers. Now before anyone throws a fit, notice that I didn't say English native speakers.  I really don't care what your native tongue is (or isn't for that matter) but I am an English speaker. It's the only language I speak (I tried Spanish but… let's just say it didn't o well. ::sighs in defeat::) and it's the only language I write in. As a result, both editors need to speak and write fluent English. Why speak and write? Well, different languages have different sentence structures; i.e. the Spanish sentence structure places a descriptive word after the noun (Like the blue car in English is the car blue in Spanish.); The Japanese language places emotions at the end of a sentence and also convey thoughts and concepts through the very alphabet the writer is using (Did you know they have five different alphabets that each express a different thing and that each area in Japan has its own alphabet?! O.O). Those are the two I know but you get the point; I need someone who is a fluent speaker of English. If anyone is interested in taking the time to translate DWF into another language, then by all means be my guest. Go right ahead but please notify me before starting.

                -Resumé: (I think I spelled that right) Um, not to be picky, but I would prefer that applicants do have some prior experience. Authors who are kicking around between stories or are simply suffering from writers block are extremely welcome but people who are majoring in English or have some writing experience are also invited to apply.

                - Credentials: Now, if you believe that you've met all the qualifications I've put up here (please make sure that you finish reading the page please. Remember, I haven't told you what the positions are) and that you think you'd be the person for the job, send me a sample of your work. It may seem that I'm being picky (again) but please understand that anyone can say they have editing skills- I'm looking for someone who can prove it. Even if it's an essay for a class (Please don't send me any term paper!!!!) or a story that you wrote, fanficton or not, send me a few chapters or the full thing. If you are an author and already post on a site, please send me the address of the site and I'll go have a look. 

                -Age/Sex/Ethnicity: You can be any age but the older you are, the better the amount of experience you have in writing. If you are a kid genius or something then go ahead and submit but I am looking for someone around my age (21) or older. As far sex goes, doesn't matter. Boy, Girl- don't matter. Sex doesn't influence talent. You can be any ethnicity, doesn't matter if you are American or from Zimbabwe, as long as you are a fluent English speaker and writer, I have no qualms. 

                -Communication: Just about everyone has email but depending on your service provider, you may not have Instant Message capability. ICQ can solve that, by the way. I have all three so method doesn't matter, really, just that it's better if you have a real time method of conversation. I don't want your phone numbers and no, I will not give you mine, so please have some sort of Instant Message method. 

                Right! Now just what are the positions? (God I feel like a recruiting officer!) Well, I said above that I was looking for two people for editing positions. Though both are editing, they differ slightly in what someone would actually be doing. 

                One position is for simple grammar editing (Traditional Editor). Punctuation, sentence structure, making sure the story flows, etc. Pretty straight forward stuff. (Stuff that I unfortunately am bad at.)

                The second position is where it gets a bit hard. (Conceptual Editor) The second editor is more like a creativity checker. This is more conceptual but all authors do this when reading over there stories to make sure that all the placements of the characters match up, that all the plot devices make sense in the overall story, etc. This is why I am appealing to authors and am asking for work samples- this is the harder of the two editing positions and requires someone who can suspend their disbelief, but not get rid of it all together.  In the last chapter I goofed and had Sango, Miroku and Shippo in the scene. Normally this wouldn't be a problem except that I had already sent them off to hunt down Kikyo! Like I said, I goofed and that was basically because I wrote the study scene separate from the main story- another of Telos' ideas (she wrote an outline and I just filled in the body). Keeping character personalities in check in a main point and thus knowledge of the original Inu Yasha manga is required here; i.e. I need someone who will point out if some one is out of character. 

                If you are interested, please send me an email at KildareAngel@aol.com or IM me (KildareAngel) if you have Instant Messaging or contact me through ICQ. I think my name is the same for this and IMing but if all else fails, my ICQ number is 154636433. 

                If you just want to send me your samples, please make sure you put the following:

1) If you are an author 

2) If you are an author, do you post already?

3) Your age (don't fudge please. If you are a month away from your birthday, please put down your current age. You can make a note if you like, though, that you are a month away from your birthday.)

4) Please put down your handle (Whatever name you wish to go by, be it your true name or your screen name- nothing profane please)

5) Please put down what position you are applying for- I will not guess!

6) If you have the skills to fulfill both positions, please send me two stories (or two addresses) of two _different stories that reflect the editorial skills necessary and label which is which.  _

That's about it I guess. If you try to contact me but aren't on when I am (which is randomly at best), please keep trying. I will be on longer and more frequently in November (next month) because then I'll have unlimited access- I'm being charged by the hour now and it _really hurts. There is no time limit but if I'm narrowing down the choice I'll post a warning in my author's notes at the end of the DWF chapters or will simply take down this message and replace it with a 'positions have been filled' message. Once the two (or one if someone is really talented) editors have been selected, I'll contact them to notify them and to go over stuff with them. _

Thanks everyone (and anyone) who paused to read this message and good luck to all applicants. Any questions please ask me directly. Have a wonderful day and best wishes to all!

Sincerely,

Pennath


	22. Problems intensified

Chapter 20: Three kids + One angry miko + Two teenagers + One bewildered mother = problems for the gang

Legal: Blah, blah, blah. I don't own them. None of them are mine except Tao and Momiji.  

The wolf dog kicked open Sesshomaru's door, avoiding the ragged hole less it cut the pale youkai, and shut it closed after entering the den. On the bed, Kagome and Inu Yasha slept on, the two still curled together as they rested there in the center of the bed. Taomaru laid Sesshomaru near the couple and then knelt on the floor, rummaging through Kagome's ruckasack for what he needed. When he stood, Taomaru nearly dropped the cloth and water he had found, stunned as he stared at the bed.

Kagome and Inu Yasha had moved to Sesshomaru's side, curling around the youkai as they slept. It was a strange scene, Taomaru decided as he vaulted onto the bed and put the bag down beside him. He wiped Sesshomaru's exposed skin free of sweat by using the washcloth, checking on all three sleepers when he was finished. Taomaru picked up Kagome's discarded robe and covered her naked body, not disturbing her at all as she slept curled around Sesshomaru, one hand touching Inu Yasha. On the youkai's other side was the hanyou; also sound asleep. Inu Yasha's dark tail had flicked over Sesshomaru's waist, insulating his brother from the cool air around them.

All in all, Taomaru scratched his head as he considered the three, though they were completely innocent of any wrong- doing, the scene made an outsider think other wise. As the wolf dog looked on, they piled closer together like a heap of puppies, each comforting the other with sheer physical closeness. Taomaru blinked his bronze eye, thinking back to what he knew of the behavior of dog youkai children. It wasn't an oddity to see pups curl up together when sleeping, constantly with each other whether awake or asleep in either form. It was normal for pups to do this, to establish bonds with others their own age or other members of the clan. If, for whatever reason, a pup didn't have the opportunity to do this, to curl up with a sibling or even a parent, that child had a part of him or her that wouldn't develop completely. No one understood why this simple act was important but it had proved its worth- it was why it was acceptable for clan pups to crawl into their parent's bed if they were an only child, or to sleep in the same room with their siblings when everyone was young. In later years, the pups would outgrow this behavior and received their own rooms for privacy. If Taomaru hadn't known that Kagome was from the future, he would never have believed she wasn't a dog youkai herself. 

And that was the clincher revolving around Kagome; Sesshomaru had been correct when he had stated that the bond between the wolf dog and miko was different. Taomaru had met Kagome long ago while she had been a child, around the same age as the younger Kagome that had appeared. The wolf dog had known it would only be a matter of time before someone put things together; it was just that he had hoped that it would come after the battle. 

_Sesshou is just too damn smart._ Taomaru thought, looking down at the pile of 'pups' he sat beside. _Just like Momaru._ A soft smile touched the wolf dog's lips briefly before it slipped away. Because Taomaru still lived, and as long as he lived, he would carry the guilt of being unable to help his brother or Lady Kitori. To make up for being unable to protect those two, Taomaru would protect the three children sleeping nearby; protect them as long as he was able. 

Though Taomaru couldn't prove it, the wolf dog was almost positive that Lady Kitori's death was not natural. Taomaru rolled his bronze eye at himself and barrowed an expression from Kagome's time. _Duh,_ he thought. _Healthy youkai women don't just roll over and die for no reason._ With no proof however, no one could prove any foul play. Taomaru, sealed down in his underground prison, remembered listening through the walls as Momaru seethed about that fact, angry that he didn't know who or what had killed his first wife and that the very threat could cost him his second-, which in the end it had. The wolf dog had to agree that Lady Yui had been in danger from an unknown threat while she walked the castle halls and even as he sensed his power fading away, Taomaru had tried to manipulate the castle itself to keep her safe. It had grieved the wolf dog greatly when Kitori had been murdered, a fact that Sesshomaru had never been informed of, and had weakened Taomaru in the fight to stay alive. When Momaru fought Ryuukossei and died soon after, Taomaru had lost almost every reason he had to become Guardian- with no incentive other than to protect the Western Lands, Taomaru had fallen victim to the energy draining waters that surrounded him in the underground chamber. Though Momaru had forbidden his half brother from interfering at all, Taomaru still took the inability as a personal weakness.

When Kagome had reinitiated the link she and he shared, Taomaru had been able to awaken again enough to help her through the dream mesh. To say that it had startled the wolf dog a few weeks ago when he had heard a much older Kagome reaching out for help would be an understatement. It had surprised him even more when, thanks to Kagome's magic awakening, he had been released from his imprisonment and was now able to walk freely around the castle, reanimated and whole. The spirits that haunted the halls were also being woken up and given substance by the amount of power Kagome, Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru were radiating. 

_Kagome is the key, _Taomaru was now positive that this was true. _She effects too many not to be so important._ The young woman in question snuggled closer to Sesshomaru, the pale youkai responding by wrapping his tail around her. Taomaru paused a moment in his musings and pulled up the comforter enough so that he could cover the sleepers. Yes, Kagome was the key. In the short span of time Kagome had been interacting with Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha, she had already secured Sesshomaru's power base, united their troops, thawed Sesshomaru's icy heart, partially healed the rift between the two brothers, had reanimated all the ghosts in the castle… Taomaru's mind boggled at the list that went on and on, most of the hurdles jumped small but important ones. 

The wolf dog shook his head and slid off the bed, fully intending to let the three get the rest they all so desperately needed. Taomaru slipped out the door silently and made several trips back and forth from Sesshomaru's den and other rooms in the wing. When he was through, he shut the door of Sesshomaru's den, still inside the room, and quietly asked Momiji to have the door open to the upstairs regions. The dead woman appeared before him, looking as solid and as real as he did.

"The Shikon Jewel isn't complete yet." She whispered, looking worriedly over his shoulder at the bed. "Do you think they will be strong enough to take on the force nipping at their heels?"

Taomaru glanced over his shoulder and then back at his ancestress. His shoulders slumped as he answered her truthfully. "I do not know. They are all so young." He shook his head. "The Dark Army will attack whether we are ready or not, whether they are ready or not. As ghosts, you and I have nothing to fear in death, but those who still live do. Aside from our pride, we have nothing to lose. They have their lives and their loved ones." The wolf dog sighed sadly at the uncertain future. "It is a heavy burden to bear."

Momiji nodded sadly in agreement and disappeared, fading away into the door itself. The wolf dog opened the heavy doors, blinded by the sudden light filtering around the wood. With his head positioned so that his missing eye faced the illumination, Taomaru walked through the doors.

Kouga, Sango, Miroku and all the children had quietly left Kagome and Inu Yasha. The band of unhappy people had gone up the long hallway while Taomaru had been dealing with the other three. The small group had been keeping a sharp eye out for the undead priestess Inu-chan had spoke of. They had found nothing and had decided to go to the castle proper and help prepare for the upcoming assault.

"I hope Kagome's okay." Shippo said worriedly, watching the two small versions of his friends.

"Rin wants to go back and see Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin said as she started down the hallway back the way they had come. Sango grabbed the little girl's kimono and pulled her backward, preventing any escape.

"It may be too dangerous for you, little one." Miroku said soothingly, watching tears pool in Rin's dark eyes. "Let Taomaru deal with the others."

"Kouga," Shippo said, eyeing the strangely silent wolf youkai. "You're awfully quiet. What's wrong?" The others turned toward Kouga, waiting for his reply. 

The wolf youkai shifted the two children he held, looking down at the dark and the silver white heads. As he watched, little Kagome stirred, yawning hugely into Kouga's chest before she looked up at him. Her blue eyes widened in fear while the wolf youkai blinked and tried to look less frightening. _So this is Kagome- the same woman just her child self._ Kouga smiled down at her, trying in vain to hide his fangs. The little girl shrank back, her eyes still wide as she tried to become as small as possible. Her lip trembled, the first warning that she was about to cry. Kouga's face fell and he looked desperately at Sango and Miroku for help. 

"Kago-chan?" Inu-chan had taken that moment to join the waking world. Kagome reached out and took Inu-chan's hand. The hanyou boy squeezed his hand around hers and blinked, looking around at their surroundings. When he realized that he was no longer in Sesshomaru's arms, Inu-chan took a firm hold on Kagome and squirmed out of Kouga's hold. 

"Hey, dammit!" Kouga said, making a grab for the boy's fluffy white tail. "Come back here!" Inu-chan and Kago-chan ignored him and dived for cover behind the pack of wolves that had just shown up, the canines also doing their own inspections of the area. Duchess and Socrates immediately began licking the pair, wagging their tails joyfully as the rest of the pack formed around them. Every time the two children tried to get away the pack of canines herded them back or simply picked them up by their clothing and pulled them back into the center of the pack. 

Sango and Miroku peered down at the two tiny tots. The demon exterminator knelt and the pack formed around her, including her in their midst. Sango looked at the two frightened children and tried to be soothing. "We know you're frightened. We mean you no harm- we only wish to help." Inu-chan pushed Kagome behind him, wrapping his tail around her when she ducked down to hide. 

"Where's Sesshomaru? Where are father and mother?" The little hanyou demanded, backing away from Sango and being careful not to trip over Kagome as she moved. The adults around him were confused, totally at a loss and that made him even more on edge. He bared his teeth and growled as the woman held her hands out to him. 

"We don't know but your brother told us to take care of you and Kago-chan." Miroku said quietly, looking up and down the hallway. 

"Did they go after that lady?" Inu-chan asked and behind him little Kagome stood up, looking fearful.

Sango sighed to herself as Shippo jumped onto her shoulder from Miroku's. Rin looked around at everyone, taking note of the tension in the air and stepped forward into the circle of wolves. 

"My name's Rin," the little girl said and bowed clumsily. "Pleased to meet you."

Little Kagome stepped out from behind Inu Yasha and walked forward until she was a polite distance away. "I'm Kagome." The little girl bowed formally. "That's Inu Yasha over there." Kagome nodded in Inu-chan's direction. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." Kagome straitened and looked up at the adults, moving closer to Inu-chan when she saw Kouga. "Who're you guys?" 

Introductions were made all around and the odd group walked up the remaining bit of hallway and into the castle proper. As the doors opened, Kago-chan stiffened and hid behind Inu-chan. Immediately, the little hanyou began to growl, bringing his claws up to attack. The pack of canines that had thus far formed a loose circle surrounding the group began to growl and snap at the air. Their fur bristled, hackles raised and the loose formation became more structured, forming a tight knot of sharp teeth and tensed muscles. 

"What is it?" Shippo asked nervously, watching the dogs and the younger versions of Kagome and Inu Yasha. 

"It's her!" Inu-chan snarled and his eyes bled from gold to red. "It's that lady who attacked Kago-chan earlier!"

"How can you tell?" Miroku asked, looking at the empty hall. "There's no one here but us."

"I can feel her." Kago-chan's voice wavered slightly as she hid behind her hanyou companion. "I can feel her nearby and she's coming closer."

"But we just searched this area." Sango said, moving through the doorway and looking around the empty area. The monk was right- there was no one here at all. Kouga frowned and moved up beside Sango, flaring his nostrils and inhaling deeply. 

"I smell earth and… bones?" The wolf youkai frowned as he continued to scent the air. "I can smell something but I don't see anything." He blinked and looked over at a darker corner of the room. 

"She's here!" Kago-chan insisted and Inu-chan growled menacingly at everything. 

"Point her out, Kago-chan." The boy whispered as the dogs spread out to inspect their surroundings. By now everyone was inside the castle, milling about and searching for the invisible threat. 

"Come out, Kikyo." Miroku's voice sounded louder than normal in the silent room. "We know you are here!" Beside him, Sango silently drew her boomerang and settled into an attack crouch. 

"So she can sense me, can she?" a quiet voice asked from the shadowed corner Kouga had glanced at moments before. For all their superior senses, Kouga, Shippo, Inu-chan and the pack of canines still couldn't make out anything except darkness in the corner. "The younger self of my rival." They heard slow footsteps and now a figure could be seen from the corner.

It was indeed Kikyo but a pale version of her normally malicious self. She leaned to one side slightly as if she were having difficulty moving- as if she had suddenly come down with a severe case of arthritis. She had a pained look on her face as she looked at them, as the light settled on her. Her miko robes were dirty, a surprising first for those who had always seen her in perfect conditions, her bow and arrows showing signs of neglect. And then of course there was the fact that she gave off the feeling of being transparent- as if, somehow, Kikyo was dwindling before their eyes.

"Little bitch," Kikyo spat as she advanced a pace and drew an arrow. "You summoned your power and now are calling me back." Inu-chan snarled and leapt at her intending to slash her face to make her shut up. How dare she talk to his friend that way! Kikyo didn't seem to notice the fuzzy bundle's identity as she knocked him away and kicked his little body out of view, the small heap vanishing into the darkened corner she had emerged from. "I have not the time left to deal with all of you." Even as Miroku and Kouga charged, Kikyo prepared to fire her arrow, leveling the deadly projectile at the tiny dark haired girl. 

Time slowed down for everyone and reality narrowed into one diamond edged picture.

Kouga lashed out with his feet while Miroku brought down his staff, both intending to prevent the undead priestess from ever loosing her arrow. Behind them, Sango brought her bone boomerang around to take the arrow if either ally should fail. The pack of wolves and their dog leaders surged forward, an angry tide of flesh and fur and teeth- a postal worker's worst nightmare come to life. Little Kagome dived for the floor, screaming.

Every movement was done at hyper speed and yet in agonizing slowness; there was plenty of time to complete their actions and yet there wasn't.

Kikyo let the arrow fly, the shaft glowing brilliantly as it speared the air and zoomed toward Kago-chan. Light washed over the undead miko from behind, from the not-so-dark corner, surprising her and blinding everyone else. Shouting, screaming, barking and general noise filled the air as Kikyo was pushed forward and hit from behind. An explosion sounded near the doorway leading down into the tunnels and Sango grabbed the screaming little girl, protecting Kago-chan from the falling debris as the doorway behind them was destroyed by Kikyo's arrow. Youkai ran into the room, alerted to the sudden threat by Kago-chan's screaming.

In the blink of an eye it was all over. Confusion reigned in the suddenly over crowded room. 

Miroku raised his head and forced himself to stand up. He offered a hand to Kouga as the wolf youkai also began to rise. Both had hit the floor, blinded, when the light had appeared. This wouldn't have been a problem except after that they had been hit by chunks of wall from behind thanks to Kikyo's arrow. The monk looked around, stunned into silence as he watched the youkai of Sesshomaru's army dig Sango and Kago-chan out from the heap of rubble that had fallen on the two. In a heartbeat, the monk was helping the soldiers, taking Sango's arm and helping her stand while she continued to cradle Rin and Kago-chan. 

The pack of canines were also finding its footing, nuzzling each other as they picked their way among the debris. Miroku let go of Sango, watching her begin dusting herself off before he looked at the corner all the trouble had started from, expecting to find Inu Yasha in demon form and genuinely surprised when all he found was a doorway.

_A door?_ The monk wondered. Obscuring his view was a bunch of girls and for a moment the priest forgot about the new mystery entirely. He walked over and tapped the nearest girl on the shoulder, smiling pleasantly when he saw her beautiful face.

He took her hands as she stared at him. "My name is Miroku, fair maiden. Will you bear my child?"

The girl stared at him in fear, edging closer to her friend. "Suki…!"

Miroku blinked in confusion. "Who is Suki? Is she as beautiful as you are?"

"You're scaring her you idiot!" Kouga hit the monk casually in disgust. Miroku promptly fell to the floor, rubbing his head. "Who are you anyway?"

"We're friends of Kagome." The other new girl said. As she spoke, the girl Miroku had been talking to pulled away from him and dived behind her friend for cover. Both girls were dressed in an outfit similar to the uniform Kagome always wore. Both girls were looking down at Kikyo as the priestess got to her knees.

Shippo wobbled over to Miroku and the monk picked up the kitsune as he himself rose. The little youkai had not escaped injury- he had a deep cut over one eye- and Miroku guessed that was the source of Shippo's imbalance. 

"Shippo-chan!" A familiar voice called from the doorway and everyone looked in that direction. Sango, covered in dust from the stony heap she had been buried under felt her jaw drop. Kago-chan and Rin sat up, looking around. Kago-chan saw the figures in the doorway and her tear streaked face brightened considerably.

"Mommy!" The little girl called, struggling to get down and go to the woman in the doorway.

"By Buddha." Miroku said, and Kouga looked from the monk to the doorway. "Mrs. Higurashi! Sota! What are you doing here?"

Mrs. Higurashi looked at the faces staring at her, trying to think of how to explain it all when a furry white heap moved by her feet. At first glance it looked like the world's largest dust bunny but then Inu-chan sat up, blinking his golden eyes. While Mrs. Higurashi watched the hanyou she felt a tug on the pants of her miko robes. 

"Mommy! Mommy!" Little Kagome cried, fresh tears falling as her mother knelt, a look of wonder on the older woman's face. "Mommy, I was so scared!" And then little Kagome began to cry in earnest and Mrs. Higurashi could only pick up the small girl and hold her tightly. Inu-chan rose stiffly, bleeding from myriad cuts, and stumbled over to the pair. 

"Its okay, Kago-chan." He said awkwardly, alarmed when Mrs. Higurashi looked at him sharply. 

"Inu Yasha?" The woman asked as the little boy began to keel to one side. Without thinking, Mrs. Higurashi picked him up too, cradling both children against her chest protectively. "Miroku, Sango, Shippo." She barked out orders and everyone snapped to attention, responding to the authority in her tone. "We have a lot to do and I've got some things that can help you in the battle." 

"Mrs. Higurashi, what's going on?" Yukari asked, shaking her head in confusion. "We came to see Kagome and now… and now…" She looked at the youkai standing around and began screaming. Hands covered ears all around while everyone present winced at the high pitched sound. Suki tried shaking her friend to shut her up but it was Sango and a hard slap on the cheek that finally made Yukari to fall quiet.

There were so many questions, hundreds from each person present, waiting to burst forth in the pursuit of knowledge. For a moment there was stunned silence while everyone stared at everyone else. Kikyo took that moment to disappear- literally. One minute she was there, solid and real and, as everyone watched, she faded away into nothing, an angry frown on her face. It would be too much to hope for that she had finally been put to rest but it was a nice wish while it lasted; in all likelihood, Kikyo had probably learned a new trick and would show up again later. 

This left the matter of the child versions of Inu Yasha and Kagome, of Kagome's mother and brother, and of Kagome's two friends, for everyone else to deal with. As Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Rin stood there, new problems were added to the tally: What was happening with the current Kagome and Inu Yasha? What were they all going to do about the quickly approaching battle with the Dark Army? What of the bond, the rare merging of two spirits fusing into one, the bond which was causing massive problems for all those involved? With so many problems compounding each other, how would any of them survive? An all out war was bearing down on them and, overall, they were not prepared in any way. Suddenly the future looked bleak, dark and lonely, because in that instance defeat hung over the castle like an ominous cloud. So many questions, so few answers. 

"Sometimes," Rin said quietly as she stood looking at them all, reflecting on these major issues, on these major dictations of her short life. "Sometimes life just isn't fair." And to that, no one could disagree.

Elsewhere, miles away from the castle and moving fast, the leader of the Dark Army moved his troops forward. The menagerie of youkai moved like a spreading disease, slow and unstoppable- a malignant force that left destruction in its wake with no regard to the consequences. This place would be theirs, once and for all, with nothing to stop them. 

The leader of this horrible thing rode atop a black horse, a fitting steed for him. The rider wore armor; black with silver etchings that glinted in the low light that penetrated the trees overhead. He wore no helmet, only a burka to protect his head as he scanned the surrounding area warily. The beast was huge with a body designed for battle, adorned with black and silver armor. The beast snorted, steam puffing from its nostrils, while mighty hooves gouged the earth as it moved from side to side working at its bit. 

"Welcome to the Western Lands." A voice said from the shadows. There was a lilt to the voice, as if its owner were quietly laughing at the spectacle of an entire advancing army. 

The leader of the Dark Army turned toward the shadow and in the blink of an eye a dagger whipped from his hand and embedded itself in the darkness. The soldiers on the front lines aimed their weapons at the forest: swords, spears and, in a few rare cases, handheld cannons.

"You had best come out or my army will destroy you, deal or no." The leader had a rolling voice, surprisingly smooth with a trace of an accent. He closed his eyes and let another dagger fly.

There was a slicing sound and a white figure walked calmly out of the darkness. The dagger was held in one white furred hand, the other absently pulling at the new hole in the pelt. "It would be unwise to anger me." The figure said, warm anger creeping into the cultured voice. "With out my aid, you would not be here."

"With or without your aid, we would still be here-- the only difference would have been time." The leader of the Dark Army removed his burka, revealing his face. "Let's get on with this, Naraku."

 For a moment, Naraku paused as he looked at the clean shaven face of the man before him and felt Onigumo's heart stir to life. This was what had prompted the baboon clad hanyou to aid the man in conquering the Southern Kingdom and what kept Naraku from simply killing him now that that goal had been reached. Naraku hated this, hated this as much as he hated Inu Yasha and that monk Miroku, and hated it even more that there was nothing he could do about it. Yet.

Once the Dark Army had served its purpose, the Western Lands and the Southern Kingdom would be open to occupation and Naraku intended to seize control. _Yes, the hanyou thought as he smiled beneath his baboon pelt. __All the pieces are falling into place. The final piece would be destroying Onigumo's heart and half of the answer to that obstacle was right in front of the hanyou. _

"Indeed. My minions are already in place and ready to attack." A horse was brought by a small spiderish creature that scurried away once its task was done. Naraku mounted the horse and took his place beside the Dark Army leader. The man donned his burka again and gave the order to move out.

Notes: Well, instead of chopping this into two chapters I just decided to finish it and give everyone something to chew on while I'm trying to write the ending of the story. In the next Part, everything hits the fan rather messily and the Dog Clan is getting hit hard. Is Kagome really the key to victory? Will she be able to use her growing powers to help or will they ultimately destroy her? Will Sesshou save his kingdom or will he be subjected to the political plotting going on behind his back? Though Inu Yasha is in his original form, will it make a difference against the odds they face? What connection is there between Naraku and the leader of the Dark Army? And just what the hell is Mrs. Higurashi and Kagome's friends doing there?!

            ARG! So many questions! I hope I have all the answers! Please keep a look out for Part 4!


	23. not a chapter

Okay, I'm sorry about this everyone but I need to get a hold of one of my reviewers. Will AutumFire please email me again? 


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